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 you and Gerald are concerned. It may protect me, though, if he continues to sail under my colors for any length of time."

"You still think, sir, that he has no special designs against you?"

"Against me? Certainly not! He used my name simply because he happens—I'd like to discover how!—to know enough about me to serve his turn, I don't know how long he has been acting me, I'm sure.

"He must have some way of keeping your affairs before him, sir. Surely, he knows the Ossokosee House and the people there very well indeed."

"No, that don't follow," returned Mr. Hilliard. "He must have been on the train longer than you think, and within ear-shot of you. Such characters are amazingly clever in making a little knowledge go a great way, and, besides, he drew more from you both with each sentence. Didn't he contrive, too, to get hold of my letter by that impudent dodge? Mark my words, those torn pieces of handwriting will bring me a fine forged check some day unless I take good care. My dear boy," Mr. Hilliard continued, less ruefully, "under the circumstances the