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198 Thursday night (that's to-night, sir) and give me your decision.' Well, sir, I drove Miss Wetherell to Government 'Ouse, sir, according to orders, and then, comin' 'ome, went round by the Canary Bird to give 'im my answer, thinkin' no 'arm could ever come of it. When I drove up he was standin' at the door smoking his cigar, an' bein' an affable sort of fellow, invited me in side to take a drink. 'I don't like to leave the box,' I said. 'Oh, never mind your horse,' says he. ''Ere's a man as will stand by it for five minutes.' He gave a respectable lookin' chap, standin' by the lamp-post, a sixpence, and he 'eld the 'orse, so in I went. When we got inside I was for goin' to the bar, but 'e says, 'No. This is an important business matter, and we don't want to be over'eard.' With that he leads the way into a private room at the end of the passage and shuts the door. ’What's yours?' says he. 'A nobbler o' rum,' says I. Then he orders a nobbler of rum for me and a nobbler of whisky for 'imself. And when it was brought we sat talkin' of the place he'd thought o' takin' an' the 'orses he was goin' to buy, an' then 'e says, ''Ullo'! Somebody listenin' at the door. I 'eard a step. Jump up and look.' I got up and ran to the door, but there was nobody there, so I sat down again and we went on talking. Then he says, takin' up his glass: ''Ere's to your 'ealth, Mr. Thompson, and success to the farm.' We both drank it an' went on talkin' till I felt so sleepy I didn't know what to do. Then I dropped off, an' after that I don't remember nothin' of what 'appened till I woke up in the Domain without my hat and coat and found a policeman shakin' me by the shoulder."

"The whole thing is as plain as daylight," cried Wetherell, bitterly. "It is a thoroughly-organised