One of my gang wired a hare now and then, or knocked
down a bird in the gorse along the big cutting, and I used to
send it up to her. This saved her money; and that was
quite enough."

" And her nephew — young what was his name !"

"Hammond — Philip Hammond. Oh! I contrived that
very cleverly. He could turn his hand to anything, so I got
the contractor to give him something to map, or plan, or
draw, or whatever it was, on one of the French lines. He
scarcely knows that his aunt is iU. I have played our game,
though, capitally in his absence, as we intended to do."

" But have you quite succeeded?" asked Flitter, eagerly."

" Hush!" replied the other, speaking in a still lower tone.
* I got her to believe that he was making his fortune, and gave
her a few trumpery things that I brought over when I was
on the * Havre and Eouen,' as though they came from him.
I need not tell you all I did. However, it ended in her
making a will, and leaving everything, I am assured, to the
girl, as likely to want it most, and with a recommendation to
her to marry Philip on his return."



18 THE POTTLETON XEGACT.
" A ' recottanendation' !" exclaimed Flitter, with a ehort
cynical laygij; '"..very well — we shall see."

" I may depend upon you; — is it a bargain?"

" Safe/' replied the other. " Hark! what's that?"

As he spoke, some light, hurried footsteps traversed the
floor of the room above them; they then heard them descend-
ing the creaking staircase quickly, and the next instant the
door opened, and a young girl entered.
