which they are written. However,
I shall take it upon myself to hand them back to Mr. Cotter, to prevent
the possibility of their getting into other hands and giving him
trouble.

"You can unlock those handcuffs, constable; these men are at liberty to
go, and if they will take my advice they will lose no time in crossing
the water and establishing themselves somewhere where their talents are
likely to be better appreciated than they are here. They can go; one
of you can call a hackney coach for them if they wish it. They will
scarcely care to walk with their garments in their present condition."

Then the chief went into the next room.

"There is an end of that affair, Mr. Cotter. Here are the IOUs you gave
to those two swindlers. Those you gave to the other three men, who were
no doubt their confederates, have been torn up by them in my presence.
They declare that after seeing how shamefully you had been victimized
they had not the slightest idea of ever presenting them."

"I am sure that I am extremely grateful to you," Cotter said. "I know
that I have behaved like a madman, and that I don't deserve to have got
off as I have done. It will be a lesson to me for life, I can assure
you."

On leaving, Dick Chetwynd walked for some distance with Mark--as far as
Gibbons' place in St. Giles.

"There is one thing which I cannot understand," he said, "and that is
how it was that the constables happened to be so close at hand, just at
the time they were wanted."

"Well, you see, Dick, my relations with Bow Street are just at present
of a somewhat close nature, for they are aiding me in the search that I
told you that I was making for my father's murderer. The consequence was
that I had only to mention to the chief that I fancied I had detected
cheating at that place, and that there was a likelihood of a row there
last night, and he at once said he would send four men, to come in if
they heard a rumpus; and he was, indeed, rather glad of an opportunity
for breaking up the place, concerning which he had had several
complaints of young men being plucked to the last feather. Well, it was
lucky they came. I don't say that it would have made any difference,
because I think our side was a great deal stronger than they were, still
it would have led to a nasty row, and perhaps to half a dozen duels
afterwards. Well, I will say goodby now. I am very glad that the affair
has been dropped; it would not have mattered so much to me,