Tossing him a coin, Robin went on his way, but the beggar, quite agile for so dilapidated a creature, kept close behind him, pouring out a stream of petitions and lamentations. "What’s sixpence to a noble lord like your honor? Make it a shilling, brave Captain, to help me out of the country. There’s a warrant out for me, and divil take me if I know what’s the charge, but its something political—hanging and quartering at the very least. Thank your honor kindly, and may your enemies always get the worst of it. Ah! but Lunnon’s a bad town, and Linc’n’s Inn’s the very place to ambush a man and take him after the lawyers have got everything out of him. Divil take me if ever I’d give a thing to a lawyer that I might want myself; they’d take your life for six-and-eightpence, and make a bargain with Ould Scratch for your soul—-" "That will do, my good fellow," said Robin, flashing a quick glance at him. "You need not follow me any farther, you are only wasting what is doubtless valuable time." The beggar mumbled an excuse, and turned to beg from the nearest passer-by. And Robin pursued his way in a very thoughtful mood. "Another warrant out," he murmured. "I ought to have thought of that when they appointed this morning to finish the business instead of settling it all yesterday. Steve was right. These hounds never meant to give me a chance." By this time he was in the Strand, and turning up a paved court behind St. Martin’s Church, knocked at a door, on which the name of Matthew Double, Attorney-at-Law, appeared on a brass plate. The door was quickly opened and two men came out, who had been waiting for him. One of these, though scarcely older than Robin, had the strained look of hard work and high living that distinguished the professional man of that day. This was Mr. Matthew Double, and the other, in shabby black, carrying a mighty blue-bag, could never have been intended by nature for anything but a lawyer’s clerk. "Aha! here’s our man, punctual to the minute," cried Double. "Few men would be so prompt to throw away a great inheritance, Captain." "My word is passed," said Robin. "Did you doubt that I would keep it?" "Not I; have I not just given you abundant proof of confidence? Still, I hate to see the chances of such a splendid law-suit thrown away; literally flung to the dogs. Dogs, too, who, if I am not mistaken, will turn and rend you when they have drawn your teeth and cut your claws." "_When_ they have," replied Robin. "By the way, can you lend me a cloak; a long and ample one?" "This is somewhat the worse for wear," said Double, indicating one that hung in the hall, "but if you want it for a disguise it is rather conspicuous."