h a salute to say that Major de Blacquaire was in his
own apartment, and would be proud to see General Boswell at once, so
the General sent off Polson to Irene and made his way to De Blacquaire's
quarters, piloted by the corporal. De Blaequaire received General
Boswell with a show of profound respect.

'I am here,' began the General, plunging into business at once after his
own soldierly fashion, 'I am here on an uncommonly unpleasant business.
You are the proprietor of a salt mine. You may not be aware that I have
invested the greater part of my fortune in the hands of your neighbours,
Messrs. Jervase & Jervoyce.'

'I was not aware of that, sir,' said De Blaequaire, 'and I am very sorry
to hear it. The men, to my certain knowledge, are a brace of thieves.'

'I heard a very startling piece of news last night,' the General
continued. 'I heard that your solicitor, Mr. Stubbs I believe, has
made a charge against my partners of having robbed you and the former
proprietor of the mine, my lamented old friend General Airey, through a
whole course of years.'

'That is undoubtedly true,' De Blacquaire answered. 'I have evidence
that a passage exists between their mine and my own, and all the
evidence points to the belief that it was purposely made. Their
property, I learn, was a miserable failure for many years, and it has
now for years yielded them a large income.'

'My share of that income,' said the General, 'has amounted to something
like fifteen hundred pounds a year for seven years past, and I need not
tell you that it will be my immediate business, so soon as I can realise
the money, to repay you--on distinct proof, of course, of the felonious
action of my partners.'

'I really do not see, General Boswell,' said De Blacquaire, 'that there
is any call upon you to sacrifice yourself for their benefit. The men
are wealthy, and I have no doubt that I can force them to disgorge.'

'It will be my own hope and aim to do that also,' the General answered.
'But I have no wish for money which has been dishonourably acquired,
and I am very much afraid that I have been living at your cost. It is
my obvious duty to return to you whatever has come into my possession,
provided always that the facts are assured. I have my remedy against my
partners in the law courts, and if necessary I must seek it there.'

'I shall not venture,' said De Blacquaire, 'to dispute a point of
personal honour with General Boswell; but I venture to sugg