said Mervyn, "Mr
Humphrey here won't press--"

"That's what I want Master Richard here to understand," said Humphrey.
"As I says to him yesterday, sir, what's the good of it to me?"

"Exactly," said Mervyn, "right is right; but as Mr Trev--Lloyd is
innocent in the matter, and has made engagements and the rest of it, why
not come to some arrangement satisfactory to both?"

"Mr Mervyn, you are sent for here as the friend of Mr Humphrey
Trevor."

"Exactly, Mr Tre--Lloyd. I beg your pardon, but my tongue is not so
quick of apprehension as my brain."

"I want you to advise and help him in his novel position."

"I will," said Mervyn, frankly; "but I should like to advise and help
you too. You see, Mr Tre--there--Mr Richard, you have possession."

"I give it up," said Richard.

"But you might hold it, and give friend Humphrey here a great deal of
trouble."

"Mr Mervyn, I claim to be still a gentleman, whatever my birth," said
Richard, haughtily. "Will you act as Humphrey's friend?"

"I will."

"Then understand this, sir. I have had a hard fight, and I have come
through the temptation, I hope, like a man. I now resign everything to
Mr Humphrey Trevor here. I ask his pardon for usurping his rights, and
I beg his forbearance towards my poor father and mother. I will not
make this cruel injury to him worse by any opposition."

Humphrey shuffled in his seat, and tried to speak, but he only wiped his
damp face, and looked helplessly at the man he was bound to oust.

"You see, Mr Mervyn," continued Richard, "Mr Trevor's will be a
peculiar position."

"Yes," said Mervyn; "but had you not better get some legal advice?"

"What for?" said Richard. "Can anything be plainer? As I said, Mr
Trevor's will be a peculiar position. He will be the mark of the
designing, and he will need a staunch friend at his side. Will you be
that friend?"

"I will," said Mervyn, wringing his hand. "Yours too, my dear fellow,
if you'll let me. But," he added, in a whisper, "Miss Rea?"

A spasm of pain shot across Richard's face, and he was about to speak
when Humphrey turned to him.

"Master Richard," he said, in a husky voice, "we was boys together, and
played together almost like brothers. This here comes to me stunning,
like. You say it's mine. Well, it aint my fault. I don't want it.
Keep it all, if you like; if not, let's share and share alike."

The last words fell on empty air, for Richard had waved his hand to
b