rse we must draw out of all our enterprises here. I
intend at once to realize--yes, Hankes--to realize a certain comfortable
sum and withdraw."

These were not very explicit nor very determinate expressions, but they
were amply intelligible to him who heard them.

"To wind up, sir, in short," said Hankes, significantly.

"Yes, Hankes, 'to wind up.'"

"A difficult matter,--a very difficult matter, sir."

"Difficulties have never deterred me from anything, Mr. Hankes. The only
real difficulty I acknowledge in life is to choose which of them I
will adopt; that done, the rest is matter of mere detail." Mr. Dunn now
seated himself at a table, and in the calm and quiet tone with which
he treated every business question, he explained to Hankes his views
on each of the great interests he was concerned in. Shares in home
speculations were to be first exchanged for foreign scrip, and these
afterwards sold. Of the vast securities of private individuals pledged
for loans, or given as guarantees, only such were to be redeemed as
belonged to persons over whom Dunn had no control. Depositary as he was
of family secrets, charged with the mysterious knowledge of facts whose
publication would bring ruin and disgrace on many, this knowledge was to
have its price and its reward; and as he ran his finger down the list
of names so compromised, Hankes could mark the savage exultation of his
look while he muttered unintelligibly to himself.

Dunn stopped at the name of the Viscount Lackington, and, leaning his
head on his hand, said, "Don't let us forget that message to Malta."

"A heavy charge that, sir," said Hankes. "The Ossory has got all his
Lordship's titles; and we have set them down, too, for twenty-one
thousand seven hundred above their value."

"Do you know who is the Viscount Lackington?" asked Dunn, with a strange
significance.

"No, sir."

"Neither do I," said Dunn, hurriedly following him. "Mayhap it may cost
some thousands of pounds and some tiresome talk to decide that question;
at all events, it will cost you or me nothing."

"The Earl of Glengariff's claim must, I suppose, be satisfied, sir?"

"Of course, it must, and the very first of all! But I am not going to
enter minutely into these things now, Hankes. I need a little of that
rest you were just recommending me to take. Be here to-morrow at twelve;
do not mention my arrival to any one, but come over with the Ossory
statement and the two or three other most i