“Yes; come this way,” replied he.  And, leading his visitor through the bar, they entered a small back room, the door of which they locked behind them.

“Now, Whitticar,” said Mr. Stevens, “I want you to act the part of a friend by the fellow who got in that awkward scrape at this house.  As you did not give the evidence you informed me you were possessed of, at the coroner’s inquest, it is unnecessary for you to do so before the magistrate at examination.  There is no use in hanging the fellow—­it cannot result in any benefit to yourself; it will only attract disagreeable notice to your establishment, and possibly may occasion a loss of your licence.  We will be willing to make it worth your while to absent yourself, for a short time at least, until the trial is over; it will put money in your purse, and save this poor devil’s life besides.  What do you say to receiving a hundred and fifty, and going off for a month or two?”

“Couldn’t think of it, Mr. Stevens, no how.  See how my business would suffer; everything would be at loose ends.  I should be obliged to hire a man to take my place; and, in that case, I must calculate upon his stealing at least twenty-five per cent. of the receipts:  and then there is his wages.  No, no that won’t do.  Besides, I’m trying to obtain the nomination for the office of alderman—­to secure it, I must be on the spot; nothing like looking out for oneself.  I am afraid I can’t accommodate you, squire, unless you can offer something better than one hundred and fifty.”

“You’ve got no conscience,” rejoined Mr. Stevens, “not a bit.”

“Well, the less of that the better for me; it’s a thing of very little use in the rum-selling business; it interferes with trade—­so I can’t afford to keep a conscience.  If you really want me to go, make me a better offer; say two fifty, and I’ll begin to think of it.  The trial will be over in a month or six weeks, I suppose, and a spree of that length would be very pleasant.”

“No, I won’t do that, Whitticar,—­that’s flat; but I’ll tell you what I will do.  I’ll make it two hundred, and what is more, I’ll see to your nomination.  I’m all right down here, you know; I own the boys in this district; and if you’ll say you’ll put some little matters through for me after you are elected, I’ll call it a bargain.”

“Then I’m your man,” said Whitticar, extending his hand.

“Well, then,” added Stevens, “come to my office this morning, and you shall have the money; after that I shall expect you to get out of town as quick as possible.  Goodbye.”

“So far all right,” muttered Mr. Stevens, with an air of intense satisfaction, as he left the house; “he’ll be of great use to me.  When it becomes necessary to blind the public by a sham investigation, he will be the man to conduct it; when I want a man released from prison, or a little job of that kind done, he will do it—­this act will put him in my power; and I am much mistaken if he won’t prove of the utmost service in our riot scheme.  Now, then, we will have an examination of McCloskey as soon as they like.”