ho his
connections were. First, I asked his friend who had recommended
him--the friend wasn't at liberty to answer for anything but his perfect
trustworthiness. Then I asked Mannion himself point-blank about it, one
day. He just told me that he had reasons for keeping his family affairs
to himself--nothing more--but you know the way he has with him; and,
damn it, he put the stopper on me, from that time to this. I wasn't
going to risk losing the best clerk that ever man had, by worrying
him about his secrets. They didn't interfere with business, and didn't
interfere with me; so I put my curiosity in my pocket. I know nothing
about him, but that he's my right-hand man, and the honestest fellow
that ever stood in shoes. He may be the Great Mogul himself, in
disguise, for anything I care! In short, you may be able to find out all
about him, my dear Sir; but I can't."

"There does not seem much chance for me, Mr. Sherwin, after what you
have said."

"Well: I'm not so sure of that--plenty of chances here, you know.
You'll see him often enough: he lives near, and drops in constantly
of evenings. We settle business matters that won't come into business
hours, in my private snuggery up stairs. In fact, he's one of the
family; treat him as such, and get anything out of him you can--the more
the better, as far as regards that. Ah! Mrs. S., you may stare, Ma'am;
but I say again, he's one of the family; may be, he'll be my partner
some of these days--you'll have to get used to him then, whether you
like it or not."

"One more question: is he married or single?"

"Single, to be sure--a regular old bachelor, if ever there was one yet."

During the whole time we had been speaking, Mrs. Sherwin had looked
at us with far more earnestness and attention than I had ever seen her
display before. Even her languid faculties seemed susceptible of active
curiosity on the subject of Mr. Mannion--the more so, perhaps, from her
very dislike of him. Margaret had moved her chair into the background,
while her father was talking; and was apparently little interested
in the topic under discussion. In the first interval of silence, she
complained of headache, and asked leave to retire to her room.

After she left us, I took my departure: for Mr. Sherwin evidently had
nothing more to tell me about his clerk that was worth hearing. On my
way home, Mr. Mannion occupied no small share of my thoughts. The idea
of trying to penetrate the mystery conne