t."

"But if he says 'no'?"

"Then I'll call him a liar," promised 'Bias without a moment's
indecision. "That'll touch him up, I should hope. . . . _Where_ did you
say he lives?"

At this moment there came a knock at the door and Fancy entered with the
tea-tray.

"If you'd really like a talk with him," said Mr Rogers, blinking,
"maybe you'd best let the child here take you to his house. . . .
Eh, missy? Cap'n Hunken tells me as how he'd like to pay a call 'pon Mr
Philp, up in Union Place."

"Now?" asked Fancy.

"The sooner the better," answered 'Bias, crushing 'The Troy Herald'
between his hands.

Fancy's hands, disencumbered of the tea-tray, began to twitch violently.
"Very well, master," was all she said, however; and with that she left
the room to fetch her hat and small cloak.

"I'd advise you to tackle Philp gently," was Mr Rogers's warning as soon
as the pair were alone. "Not that I've any likin' for the man: but the
point is, you've no evidence. He'll tell you--and, likely enough, with
truth--as he never act'ally wrote what's printed."

"You leave him to me," answered 'Bias grimly, gulping his tea and
preparing to sally forth.

"An' you might remember to leave the child outside. If a lady's name is
to be handled in the discussion, you understand. . . . Besides which,
witnesses are apt to be awk'ard. Two's the safe number when there's a
delicate point to be cleared up."

Fancy reappeared and announced herself ready. 'Bias caught up his hat.
. . . Left to himself, Mr Rogers lay back in his chair and chuckled.
He did not care two straws for Mr Philp, or for what might happen to
him. His mind was off on quite another train of thought.

"I wonder what the woman's game is? 'A hundred pound lyin' idle'--and
Hocken around with the same tale this forenoon. . . . Ten per cent, and
at a moderate risk. . . . She's shrewd, too, by all accounts. . . .
Damme, if this isn't a queer cross-runnin' world! A woman like that, if
I'd had the luck to meet her a three-four year ago--before _this_
happened!" . . . He eyed his palsied hand as it reached out, shaking,
for the tea-cup.

"When we get to the door," said 'Bias heavily, as he and Fancy turned
out of the street into the narrow entry of Union Place, "you're to step
back and run away home."

"No fear," she assured him. "I'm doin' you a favour, an' don't you
forget it."

"But you can't come inside with me."

"_That's_ all right. Nobody said as I