'Oh, is there?' said Lake, in his soft tones, leaning forward in his easy chair, and looking on the shining points of his boots. 'I have found out a thing, Captain Lake, which will no doubt interest _you_ as much as it does me. It will lead, I think, to a much more exact _guess_ about Mr. Mark Wylder.' There was a sturdy emphasis in the attorney's speech which was far from usual, and indicated something. 'Oh! you have? May one hear it?' said Lake, in the same silken tone, and looking down, as before, on his boots. 'I've discovered something about his letters,' said the attorney, and paused. 'Satisfactory, I hope?' said Lake as before. 'Foul play, Sir.' 'Foul play--is there? What is he doing now?' said Lake in the same languid way, his elbows on the arms of his chair, stooping forward, and looking serenely on the floor, like a man who is tired of his work, and enjoys his respite. 'Why, Captain Lake, the matter is this--it amounts, in fact, to _fraud_. It is plain that the letters are written in batches--several at a time--and committed to some one to carry from town to town, and post, _having previously filled in dates_ to make them _correspond_ with the exact period of posting them.' The attorney's searching gaze was fixed on the captain, as he said this, with all the significance consistent with civility; but he could not observe the slightest indication of change. I dare say the captain felt his gaze upon him, and he undoubtedly heard his emphasis, but he plainly did not take either to himself. 'Indeed! that is very odd,' said Captain Lake. 'Very odd;' echoed the attorney. It struck Mr. Larkin that his gallant friend was a little overacting, and showing perhaps less interest in the discovery than was strictly natural. 'But how can you show it?' said Lake with a slight yawn. 'Wylder _is_ such a fellow. I don't the least pretend to understand him. It may be a freak of his.' 'I don't think, Captain Lake, that is exactly a possible solution here. I don't think, Sir, he would write two letters, one referring back to the other, at the same time, and post and date the latter more than a week _before_ the other.' 'Oh!' said Lake, quietly, for the first time exhibiting a slight change of countenance, and looking peevish and excited; yes, that certainly does look very oddly.' 'And I think, Captain Lake, it behoves us to leave no stone unturned to sift this matter to the bottom.' 'With what particular purpose, I don't quite see,' said Lake. 'Don't you think possibly Mark Wylder might think us very impertinent?' 'I think, Captain Lake, on the contrary, we might be doing that gentleman the only service he is capable of receiving, and I know we should be doing something toward tracing and exposing the machinations of a conspiracy.' 'A conspiracy! I did not quite see your meaning. Then, you really think there is a conspiracy--formed _by_ him or _against_ him, which?' '_Against_ him, Captain Lake. Did the same idea never strike you?'