Priminheere was unable to go the length of proclaiming that his alliance with the Church of England had rendered him amenable to the laws of honour, since he well enough knew the contrary.

"Listen, Mr. Priminheere," continued his inspired companion, with an energy he probably had never before felt, and which, assuredly, he had never practised. "I did once dislike this Mortimer, for he was my rival in love, but we fought, and the matter passed over, and with it all hatred and malice-and I hope for ever. I never will be guilty of pursuing an old enemy with such hostility as you seem capable of."

And, thus saying, he turned away, leaving his patron to enjoy the reflections incident to so sudden and unexpected a resolve.

Fortune, however, seemed disposed to befriend this insatiate enemy of Mortimer, when his utmost efforts had proved fruitless, as if he should be made to owe the accomplishment of his wishes to any other source than that of his own exertions. The events which tended towards the fulfilment of this will be detailed in the succeeding chapter.

CHAPTER VIII.

NEWMARKET.

"An ordinary racer is known to go at the rate of a mile in two minutes."-GOLDSMITH.

MR. SOLAND was not disposed to be idle in promoting the settlement of the mortgage upon Byrdwood. He took a very early opportunity of waiting on the attorneys who possessed the instrument which threatened that estate, informed them of the intention which his client, Mr. Mortimer, entertained of paying off the incumbrances, and requested that a speedy day might be named for the accomplishment of the business, and delivery of the writings. Dell and Head, the lawyers on behalf of the mortgagee, observed, that they were well acquainted with the alteration in Mr. Mortimer's fortunes, and seriously congratulated him on an event so unexpectedly agreeable, but they feared that the affair could not be arranged in a much shorter time than a month, as the mortgagee was at that moment residing abroad. Mr. So

land inquired the name of the lender, but could not gain a satisfactory answer; for he was informed that the mortgage had been assigned; and although Mr. Soland was politely invited to inspect the deed, yet as the assignment was said to have been executed at a distance, this information could not be supplied. Mortimer's agent testified some degree of surprise at this, for he reminded Mr. Head that an assignment was usually indorsed upon the deed, and that it was singular for the holders of the mortgage instrument to be in ignorance of the name of the assignee. But the lawyer on the other side explained, that in this particular instance there were two deeds, unavoidably so, and that the assignee was in possession of his own deed. Mr. Soland looked civilly incredulous.

"The history of the matter, Mr. Soland," said the other gentleman, " is simply thus:myself and my partner were for some years employed by the late Mr. Mortimer, but an unhappy difference having arisen between us, that connexion terminated. In the interim, or somewhere about that time, Mr. Mortimer had occasion to borrow money, and the person who was willing to lend to him, and whose name you may see in the mortgage deed, was a client of our's. He sold his interest to a gentleman who

is in the constant habit of residing abroad, and whose name we are really ignorant of. Instead of requiring the original deed which he might have had, he was satisfied with a copy of it, from whence an assignment was made, and duly executed, and thus it is that we possess the original instrument. Now, the rich Mr. Priminheere is willing to buy the interest of the assignee, or, more properly speaking, the equity of redemption; I beg pardon, the interest." "I comprehend, Sir," said Mr. Soland.

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And," continued the lawyer, even, notwithstanding this change, he would be glad to treat on reasonable terms with the present Mr. Mortimer."

"That would be buying the equity of redemption," drily observed Mr. Soland; " but I have no instructions to make such an arrangement; indeed, on the contrary, I have reason to know that my client would be much averse to such a measure. "Have you," continued the agent of Mortimer,—“ have you, Sir, always had the possession of that deed ?”

"Of that deed ?" repeated Mr. Head, a little abashed at the suddenness of the question, "of what deed ?"

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Merely of that mortgage deed."

"Oh! why-yes certainly," said Mr. Head,

a little comforted at finding that the question had no particular object.

"Has there been any payment of interest ?" inquired Mr. Soland.

"The old gentleman paid some," replied the attorney, "but the present owner has been too wild and extravagant a youth to get rid of any of his incumbrances."

"But the interest, Sir ?" returned Mr. Soland, noticing that his fellow-labourer in the law was either very much wanting in clearness of head, or that he had lost his presence of mind.

"Oh! no, Sir, no interest has been paid by young Mr. Mortimer. He has been deeply involved in gambling transactions, we believe, and has been engaged in duelling more than once, in fact he is not the man from whom we could have expected much upon these occasions."

"You have not told me yet how it came to pass that this deed was allowed to lie so snug in your office so long?" said Mr. Soland.

"That is a heavy story, Sir," was the answer. "You had better walk into the parlour, and take some refreshment, and I will try to explain it to you there.”

"I am fearful," returned the other, looking at his watch," that it will not be possible for