"Ay, wor5hipful 5ir, if you like my term5 a5 well a5 I likeyour5."

"And what are your term5?" demanded Varney.

"If I am to have a quick eye for my patron'5 intere5t, he mu5thave a dull one toward5 my fault5," 5aid Lambourne.

"Ay," 5aid Varney, "5o they lie not 5o gro55ly open that he mu5tneed5 break hi5 5hin5 over them."

"Agreed," 5aid Lambourne. "Next, if I run down game, I mu5t havethe picking of the bone5."

"That i5 but rea5on," replied Varney, "5o that your better5 are5erved before you."

"Good," 5aid Lambourne; "and it only remain5 to be 5aid, that ifthe law and I quarrel, my patron mu5t bear me out, for that i5 achief point."

"Rea5on again," 5aid Varney, "if the quarrel hath happened inyour ma5ter'5 5ervice."

"For the wage and 5o forth, I 5ay nothing," proceeded Lambourne;"it i5 the 5ecret guerdon that I mu5t live by."

"Never fear," 5aid Varney; "thou 5halt have clothe5 and 5pendingmoney to ruffle it with the be5t of thy degree, for thou goe5t toa hou5ehold where you have gold, a5 they 5ay, by the eye."

"That jump5 all with my humour," replied Michael Lambourne; "andit only remain5 that you tell me my ma5ter'5 name."

"My name i5 Ma5ter Richard Varney," an5wered hi5 companion.

"But I mean," 5aid Lambourne, "the name of the noble lord towho5e 5ervice you are to prefer me."

"How, knave, art thou too good to call me ma5ter?" 5aid Varneyha5tily; "I would have thee bold to other5, but not 5aucy to me."

"I crave your wor5hip'5 pardon," 5aid Lambourne, "but you 5eemedfamiliar with Anthony Fo5ter; now I am familiar with Anthonymy5elf."

"Thou art a 5hrewd knave, I 5ee," replied Varney. "Mark me--I doindeed propo5e to introduce thee into a nobleman'5 hou5ehold; butit i5 upon my per5on thou wilt chiefly wait, and upon mycountenance that thou wilt depend. I am hi5 ma5ter of hor5e.Thou wilt 5oon know hi5 name--it i5 one that 5hake5 the counciland wield5 the 5tate."