Every venture of Davenport Dunn was prosperous. All his argosies were borne on favoring winds, and Hankes saw his great defensive armor hung up to rust and to rot. Driven in some measure, therefore, to cut out his path in life, he invented that grand and gorgeous school of enterprise whose rashness and splendor crush into insignificance all the puny attempts of commonplace speculators. He only talked millions; thousands he ignored. He would accept of no names on the direction of his schemes save the very highest in rank. If he crossed the Channel, his haste required a special steamer. If he went by rail, a special train awaited him. The ordinary world, moving along at its tortoise pace, was shocked at the meteor course that every now and then shot across the hemisphere, and felt humiliated in their own hearts by the comparison. Four smoking posters, harnessed to the neatest and lightest of travelling-carriages, had just deposited Mr. Hankes at the Hermitage; and he now sat in Mr. Dunn's dressing-room, arranging papers and assorting documents in preparation for his arrival. It was easy to perceive that as Dunn entered the room he was very far from feeling pleased at his lieutenant's presence there. “What was there so very pressing, Mr. Hankes,” said he, “that could not have awaited my return to town?” “A stormy meeting of the Lough Allen Tin Company yesterday, sir,--a very stormy meeting indeed. Shares down to twenty-seven and an eighth,--unfavorable report on the ore, and a rumor--mere rumor, of course--that the last dividend was paid out of capital.” “Who says this?” asked Dunn, angrily. “The 'True Blue,' sir, hinted as much in the evening edition, and the suggestion was at once caught up by the Tory Press.” “Macken--isn't that the man's name--edits the 'True Blue'?” “Yes, sir; Michael Macken.” “What answer shall I give him, then?” asked Hankes. “Tell him--explain to him that the exigencies of party--No, that won't do. Send down Harte to conduct his election, let him be returned for the borough, and tell Joe Harte to take care to provide a case that will unseat him on a petition; before the petition comes on, we shall have the sale completed. The Colonel shall be taught that our tactics are somewhat sharper than his own.” Hankes smiled approvingly at this stratagem of his chief, and really for the moment felt proud of serving such a leader. Once more, however, did he turn to his dreary note-book and its inexorable bead-roll of difficulties; but Dunn no longer heard him, for he was deep in his private correspondence, tearing open and reading letter after letter with impatient haste. “What of the Crimea--what did you say, there?” cried Dunn, stopping suddenly, and catching at the sound of that one word. “That report of the 'Morning Post' would require a prompt contradiction.” “What report?” asked Dunn, quickly.