 all her caution, could not help occasionally a little exultation, his arts—especially as it was necessary to lay them on thicker than ever, and as every body knew them to be so many barefaced falsitics—were so apparent that it really became an irksome task to have him about the baronet's family, although they were under the necessity of doing so till they should be able to accomplish their coup de grace.

About this time he received a letter from Standfast, which informed him that the ministry were again tottering. He therefore hastened to town, and finding that the intelligence was but too true, a scheme was concerted between these amiable friends to embezzle certain monies, which they well knew where to lay their hands on, and decamp into a foreign country.
This however could not be effected without the previous concurrence of certain men called clerks, in whose possession were books and tallies, and other documents, by means of which alone they could obtain a right to receive these said monies.

These documents they hoped to procure through the influence of our old friend Viney, who had held a lucrative situation under Gloss ever since he first came into office, but a younger clerk, who happened to be a youth of honour and spirit, and who had very nearly been put out of office because he had threatened to chastise this old sinner, for most scandalous conduct to his sister, a beautiful girl of thirteen, conjectured by circumstances what was going forward.
In short, in attempting to possess himself of the necessary papers, Viney plainly found, by the steps that had been taken to prevent his intentions, that he was discovered, and therefore, lest he should be involved in the guilt, went directly and gave information against his two friends, who, holding his conduct in equal distrust, got intelligence of his treachery in time, as they imagined, to ward off its consequences.
Neither Standfast nor Gloss had been idle, for though they could not accomplish their grand point, they nevertheless got together a pretty round sum, which was at that moment deposited in Standfast's bureau, and, as a coup de maitre, it was agreed that Gloss should force Annette from her father, with

an idea that after possession, by means of marriage, or any other means, Sir Sidney would not only be glad enough to make peace with them, but give his daughter a fortune. These were his words when he proposed the matter to Standfast.

'As to the boy Charles, he can never marry her: but this is no time for investigation. As to Sir Sidney, he will be glad
