CHAPTER THE TWENTY-FOURTH.
BACKWARD.
"WELL ?" whispered Blanche, taking her uncle confidentially by the arm.
"Well," said Sir Patrick, with a spark of his satirical humor flashing out at his niece, "I am going to do a very rash thing.

I am going to place a serious trust in the hands of a girl of eighteen." "The girl's hands will keep it, uncle--though she _is_ only eighteen." "I must run the risk, my dear; your intimate knowledge of Miss Silvester may be of the greatest assistance to me in the next step I take.

You shall know all that I can tell you, but I must warn you first.

I can only admit you into my confidence by startling you with a great surprise.

Do you follow me, so far ?" "Yes! yes!" "If you fail to control yourself, you place an obstacle in the way of my being of some future use to Miss Silvester.