The Second Dandy Chater

face proclaimed, and that he was playing a joke upon him. Seeing, however, that his friend appeared to be completely in earnest

you to 'The Th

turned in there for a toothful, an' found they let beds. Wantin' a bed-(for man were not made to s

Shady 'un had suggested, he was expected to arrive in company with the man known as the Count, and if, further, that man knew anything of the murder of the real Dand

interest. I can't explain the full circumstances; but I am playing a desperate game, for a large stake, and it is essential that I should know whether this man is there or not; a

afraid the beds at that 'ouse will be a bit too expensive for me. I thought it was a place w'e

aughing. "The man I want is not, I suspect, a

In the ordinary course o' nature, I don't mind a little scrap in the street, or bein' butted violent; but w'en you knows the lubber I'd nabbed, an' 'e knows you b

ou. If I had not been acting quite innocently in the matter, I

uist ain't the man to go back on a mess-mate, as you've found afore to-day. Trust in the old firm, Phil

l a fashion as possible. It being now very near the time for keeping the appointment, the Captain, accompanied by Philip, set off

mysterious and cautious manner, and keeping well within the shadow of the houses. He dived into the archway, dragging Phili

hilip, impatien

ome in?' The man was a drawin' the rum, and 'e ses, without lookin' up-'No-nobody ain't seen the Count for some days.' Then 'e looks up-seems surprised-an' ses-'Who wants to know?' I tells 'im a pal o' mine was wishful to know about the Count. Well-Phil, my boy-the man loo

dy 'un?" excl

sudden, an' lands 'im one on wot I may call the fore-'atch-an' down 'e tumbles into that shop. In fact," added the Captain, with a fine air of carelessness-"the last I see of 'im

If you will come on later, and take your lodging there in the ordinary course, I shall be glad; I might want to have such a friend near me. But, shoul

d, nodded slowly, in token that he would do as he was asked

rotection, determined to put on a moody sullen demeanour, and to lounge at the bar of the place until he was accosted

to the place-looking about him with an air that was half insolent, half quarrelsome. Making

sequious leer; and took the opportunity to lean across th

re where they've gone?"

ou, Mr. Dandy," venture

," said Philip, in the same reckless ma

g with you. There's something big afoot"-the man leaned over the ba

, in the second, he had no intention of presenting himself before whatever company might be expecting Dandy Chater, in such a place as that, unannounced and u

he said; "I'll finish my br

le nearer, across the bar, and spoke in a wheedling tone. "I'm going up mysel

felt that, from the tone the man had adopted, it was evident that the late Dandy Chater had

, and even stopped to bite the end from a cigar, and light it-looking frowningly at the other, who stood waiting patiently at the foot of some dark stairs for him; all this to give himself time, and to carry out,

iver. Round a table in this room, four men were seated, with their elbows upon it, and their heads very close together; the heads were turned, as the door opened, and a murmur-apparently of relief and recognition-broke simultaneously from the four throats. Philip Chater, observing,

ble, and coolly blowing a cloud of smoke

peared to have a direct interest in whatever proceedings were afoot; in

, sandy-haired fellow, with grey eyes far too clos

ask you," replied Philip. "Do yo

ied the same man, in an injured tone. "We su

urly tone as before. "I've seen nothing of him since-since that night." Then

en and unsteady as his voice-a man with no linen to speak of, who yet had whiskers, which had once been fashionable, on either side of his grimy fac

housekeeper-and the man known as the Count were one and the same person, and that person Dandy Chater's-and his own-

had spoken first. "The Count knows his own busin

ope he won't,"

h, Doctor"-this to the man he had addre

disclosure to him of the story of his own life, had mentioned a certain drunken little do

the haul was bigger than we anticipated. The man behind the counter-you know who I mean-gets a thousand for handing over the flimsies; and gets it pretty easily, too, to my mind. The rest is divided

nd that whispers were passing amongst them, while three pairs of eyes were glancing in his direction. Quick to fear that some suspicion of his identity might have come upon them, he watche

re you plotting there

and only women to deal with. But the Count's particular about one of the women-a young one-coming by no hurt. After all, it's down your way, and he must have meant you to know what was going on. It's for Friday, as soon after midnight as ma

the door. Looking round quickly, with the others, he saw the Shady 'un dart in-breathless and panting-and make a hasty attempt to close it; indeed, he

he gasped. "He's p

ad been so unceremoniously thrust, while his clothing-such as it was-had been almost torn from him, by his struggle with the unknown person against whom he still frantically held the door. At the very moment he spoke,

n to his late assailant, the Captain stopped, and looked round in some astonishment. At the same time, th

'ave. Dandy sent 'im 'ere, a s

y man there; for he dreaded lest he should blurt out his knowledge of a certain Philip Crowdy, who was done with, and left behind in the past.

bolt f

w, and dashed it straight at the light; the room was in darkness in a moment. He heard the men falling about, and stumbling over the chairs, as he darted through the doorway, and plunged down

et, Philip and his companion, after doubling round one or two corners, came to

Jew gentleman, with nice manners, only last week; a brush and comb-the brush a bit bald, and the comb wantin' a noo set of teeth;

s. But I don't think we had better be seen in company; those fellows only saw you

that Shady chap in the bar, and thought 'e was on the

r nearly an hour, found a quiet hotel, and gladly got to bed. At the last moment, before his eyes closed, he remembered the two packets which had been given him, together with the piec

unts-to the total of three thousand five hundred pounds; the second packet held the same

the top right-hand corner, and one at the top left-hand corner. The square at the right was ma

lled upon it was-"The