But come, Rowley--out with the rest of it! You have more to tell us, or your face belies you!' 'Mr.Anne, I do,' he said.

'Mr.Romaine, sir, you're a friend of his, ain't you ?' 'Yes, George, I am a friend of his,' said Romaine, and, to my great surprise, laid his hand upon my shoulder.
'Well, it's this way,' said Rowley--'Mr.Powl have been at me! It's to play the spy! I thought he was at it from the first! From the first I see what he was after--coming round and round, and hinting things! But to-night he outs with it plump! I'm to let him hear all what you're to do beforehand, he says; and he gave me this for an arnest'-- holding up half a guinea; 'and I took it, so I did! Strike me sky-blue scarlet ?' says he, adducing the words of the mock oath; and he looked askance at me as he did so.
I saw that he had forgotten himself, and that he knew it.

The expression of his eye changed almost in the passing of the glance from the significant to the appealing--from the look of an accomplice to that of a culprit; and from that moment he became the model of a well-drilled valet.
'Sky-blue scarlet ?' repeated the lawyer.

'Is the fool delirious ?' 'No,' said I; 'he is only reminding me of something.' 'Well--and I believe the fellow will be faithful,' said Romaine.

'So you are a friend of Mr.Anne's' too ?' he added to Rowley.
'If you please, sir,' said Rowley.
''Tis something sudden,' observed Romaine; 'but it may be genuine enough.
I believe him to be honest.