"Describe him," said Mr. Parkinson, roughly. "It may be a laughing matter to you, but it is not to us." "To us!" retorted the girl. "What have these gentlemen got to do with it?" "We are interested in it," said Mr. Manners. "Oh, are you? And are you interested in it too, sir?" she asked, addressing Mark Inglefield. "I am," he replied, finding himself compelled to speak. "That's funny. You're the sort of gentleman, I should say, that would pay well for anything that was done for him." "I am," said Mark Inglefield, growing bold; her words seemed to indicate a desire to establish a freemasonry between them, of which neither Mr. Parkinson nor Mr. Manners could have any suspicion. "That's a good thing to know," said Blooming Bess, "because, you see, I should be an important witness--shouldn't I?" "Very important," said Mr. Manners, "and I would pay well also." "You would, would you, sir?" She looked from one man to the other. "Allow me to manage this, sir," said Mark Inglefield. "It is more to my interest than yours." Mr. Manners nodded acquiescence. "I asked you to describe the man," said Mr. Parkinson. "I can do that. He was short and fat, and his face was covered with hair. Oh, I can spot him the minute I see him." Mark Inglefield gave the girl a smile of encouragement and approval. The description she had given could not possibly apply to him. Every fresh danger that threatened vanished almost as soon as it appeared. "There seems to be nothing more to stop for, sir," he said to Mr. Manners; "with respect to this man's daughter, we have learned all that we are likely to hear. It occurs to me that you might prefer to carry out the second portion of your visit to this neighborhood alone." "You refer to my son," said Mr. Manners. "Yes; and I might be an encumbrance. Whether justly or not--out of consideration for you I will not enter into that question--your son and his wife would not look upon me with favor if they were to see me suddenly; and the circumstance of my being in your company might be misconstrued. I am willing, sir, that the past should be buried; your simple wish that your son and I should become friends again is sufficient for me. I will obey you, but a meeting between us should be led up to; it will be more agreeable to both of us. Do you not think so?" "You are doubtless right, Inglefield," said Mr. Manners. "I appreciate your delicate thoughtfulness." "Thank you, sir. There is another reason why I should leave you now. The story that girl has told may be true or false. You must not mind my expressing suspicion of everything in connection with Mr. Parkinson's daughter. It is even possible that she and that girl may be in collusion for some purpose of their own, and that they have concocted what we have heard. I have cleared myself, I hope." "It would be unjust to deny it," said Mr. Manners.