"The terms were these. If Wallingford would drop his investigations and remain quiet for the remaining period of his mayoralty, the Town Trustees would agree to the making and carrying out of certain minor reforms which should be engineered by and credited to Wallingford in order to save his face with his party. Moreover, they would guarantee to Wallingford a big increase in his practice as a solicitor, and they would promise him their united support when a vacancy arose in the Parliamentary representation of Hathelsborough, which vacancy, they knew, would occur within the year, as the sitting member had intimated his intention of resigning. Now, this last was the big card I was to play--we all knew that Wallingford was extremely desirous of Parliamentary honours, and that he was very well aware that with the Town Trustees on his side he would win handsomely, whoever was brought against him. I was to play that card for all it was worth. So then the proposal was--Wallingford was to draw off his forces, and he was to be rewarded as I have said. Not a man of us doubted that he would be tempted by the bait, and would swallow it." Brent leapt to his feet and flung a scornful exclamation across the court. "Then not a man of you knew him!" he cried. "He'd have flung your bribe back into the dirty hands that offered it!" But Krevin Crood smiled more cynically than ever. "That's all you know, young man," he retorted. "You'll know more when you're my age. Well," he continued, turning his back on Brent and again facing the bench, "that was the situation. I was to act as ambassador, and if I succeeded in my embassy I was to be well paid for my labour." "By the Town Trustees?" inquired the chairman. "By the Town Trustees, certainly," replied Krevin. "Who else? As my principals----" "I think you will have to tell us what fee, or payment, you were to have," interrupted the chairman. "If----" "Oh, as the whole thing's come to nothing, I don't mind telling that," said Krevin. "I shall never get it now, so why not talk of it? I was to have a thousand pounds." "As reward for inducing the Mayor to withhold from the public certain information which he had acquired as regards the unsatisfactory condition of the borough finances?" asked the chairman. "Y-es, if you put it that way," assented Krevin. "You might put it another way, as regards the Mayor. He was to--just let things slide." "Go on, if you please," said the chairman dryly. "We understand."