danger.
In my master's chain of villainy there was a single flaw; but that flaw
has broken the whole chain. The poor tool, whom he had had so long
beneath his thumb, whom he had trodden under his foot remorselessly,
suddenly regained his freedom--which he had bartered for the safety of
his only child."

He raised his head and looked steadily into the stern eyes of Lord
Barminster.

"My child and I," he continued, "are now freed from the chains that
bound us, and are willing to bear any results that may follow from this
exposure. Besides these bills, my lord, I have additional proof. A young
girl whom I have brought with me was fortunate enough to see Mr.
Vermont----"

Lord Barminster's face shone with triumph, as the actual name of his
master at last fell from Harker's lips.

"--My master--drop a roll of papers. These she picked up, and later,
when by a strange coincidence she was befriended by my daughter, showed
them to me. They clearly prove, by the many attempts to imitate the
writing, whose hand it was who eventually committed these forgeries."

"I knew it!" cried Shelton, unable to keep silence any longer. "I knew
we should catch the snake! But, pardon my interrupting you, Mr. Harker;
you see, Mr. Leroy is my best friend."

Mr. Harker inclined his head and proceeded steadily.

"These forged deeds I will now, my lord, hand over to your charge, if
you prefer it. But if you will have sufficient confidence in my efforts
to save you from further trouble, I will hold them at your command until
after Vermont is dealt with, in order not to implicate you in any way;
for, of course, these bills belong to Vermont, until either he gives
them up voluntarily, or they are confiscated by law."

"Keep them in your possession," said Lord Barminster quietly. "It would
not do for them to be in my hands just at present. I will have
confidence in you, and you shall have no cause to regret this day's
work, I assure you."

Mr. Harker looked at him gratefully.

"Thank you, my lord," he said. "Your confidence is not misplaced;
indeed, it is not my fault that you have not been placed in possession
of the real facts of the case before this. I certainly think it would be
best for me to retain them for the present. I would suggest now that we
arrange a plan by which Jasper Vermont shall expose his villainy in the
actual presence of your son; otherwise, we shall have difficulty,
perhaps, to convince him on my bare word."

"That's