cob stared at him, smiled faintly and half doubtfully, and then sank
back in his chair without speaking.

'Do you hear me?' exclaimed Harson, seizing him by the collar and shaking
him; 'do you hear me? Why don't you jump up and hurrah at the downfall of
such a scoundrel? Ha! ha! We've been on his track for months; but we've
run him down at last; and then he made a virtue of necessity, and told
all--all about the children, and about you, and about Ned; all lies, all
lies--every word of them: Ned he swore was as honest a fellow as ever
lived, or something to that effect. _You_, he admitted, had committed no
forgery; not a word of truth in it; but all invented, to force you to
consent to his marriage with my own little sweet-heart, Kate. God bless
me! how near I was to losing her! Perhaps you don't know that I intend
marrying her myself? Why don't you get up now, and hurrah? Confound it, I
never saw such people in all my life. Halloh! by Jove! Kate, quick! some
water! I swear, the old fellow has fainted!'

As he spoke, Rhoneland's head fell back, and the color forsook his cheeks.
Harson caught him, while Kate ran for water and brandy, a small quantity
of which being poured into his mouth, soon brought him to himself. Having
waited until he was sufficiently composed to listen, Harson commenced from
the beginning of his story, and detailed to both of his listeners much
that they already knew, and not a little which they had never dreamed of;
the causes which had first led to the enmity between Grosket and Rust, and
then, step by step, what they had done to detect and bring to light his
villany. 'Rust manoeuvred well and skilfully,' said he, 'for he was a
bold, reckless man, who stuck at nothing, and fought to the last. It is
doubtful whether he would not have got the better of us in the end, had
not a sudden misfortune fallen upon him, which prostrated his energies and
broke his hard heart. After that, he was no longer the same man; but
confessed every thing, and among other things, that it had been his
intention to become the husband of Kate, and finding that you were opposed
to it, he tried the effect of a display of wealth upon you. This failed.
Then he resolved to see what fear could do; and threatened to have you
indicted for forgery; and admitting that you were innocent, he yet showed
so clearly how he could support his charge, and succeed in blasting your
character, that you shrunk from collision with him: still you wo