372 THE MASTER OF THE HOUNDS, 



eye. No, no, it won't do, it won't do — but I must go down to 

 Brompton this evening, and see what I can make of the fool — 

 but confound it ! here's Lord Henry," as his lordship halloed to 

 the clerk to inquire if Mr. Mangle had returned. 



" Yes, my lord, you will find him in his room." 



"Halloa! Mangle," exclaimed Lord Henry, "put your hat 

 on, a moment, and just walk with me to the end of the square, 

 as I am all behind-time, horse taken ill, and obliged to send 

 him home ; we can walk and talk as well as sit and talk, so 

 come along.' * 



They had no sooner left the room than the boy emerged 

 from his hiding-place, and recollecting the discussion about the 

 key, locked the closet door again, and throwing it under Man- 

 gle's chair, slipped noiselessly from the apartment, and walked 

 in a different direction to his master ; but a sharp whistle, 

 before he turned the corner of the square, satisfied Lord Henry 

 that his tiger had escaped. That was all he required. Mangle 

 fruitlessly endeavoured to shake Lord Henry's purpose of seeing 

 his client. "Why surely, my lord," argued the lawyer, "his 

 signature will be quite sufficient; what more can you require?" 



" To see and know the man, Mangle, and witness with my 

 own eyes his handwriting. Did any one ever hear of such a 

 one-sided bargain as this, not to know, or even see, the principal 

 you are dealing with ? Come, come, Mangle, this won't do with 

 men on the turf." 



" Well, my lord, I will endeavour to meet your wishes ; but 

 I am not sure that Mr. Douglas is in London." 



" Very well — then I must wait till he is," replied Lord 

 Henry, "and now, good evening." 



The tiger, seeing the coast clear of the lawyer, quickly joined 

 his master, and told him what he had overheard Mangle mutter- 

 ing to himself on reading the note. 



" By Jove ! Tom, it's all right, just as I expected," exclaimed 

 his lordship, " and your fortune is made, my boy, if things turn 

 out as I believe they will. Now you go back into the square, 

 to the elm trees, where you can keep your eye on Mangle's 

 doorway — watch him like a cat at a mouse-hole, and if he 

 leaves the office before I return, follow close on his heel, whether 

 he takes omnibus or cab, to Brompton — mark the number of 

 the house he calls at, and wait for me in the road, at the upper 

 turning." 



After giving these directions, Lord Henry went in search 

 of a Bow Street officer, and having made him don his best, and 



