It fell into good hands, you see.' 'What is this!' said Gashford, turning it over with an air of perfectly natural surprise.

'Where did you get it from, my good fellow; what does it mean?
I don't understand this at all.' A little disconcerted by this reception, Hugh looked from the secretary to Dennis, who had risen and was standing at the table too, observing the stranger by stealth, and seeming to derive the utmost satisfaction from his manners and appearance.

Considering himself silently appealed to by this action, Mr Dennis shook his head thrice, as if to say of Gashford, 'No.

He don't know anything at all about it.

I know he don't.
I'll take my oath he don't;' and hiding his profile from Hugh with one long end of his frowzy neckerchief, nodded and chuckled behind this screen in extreme approval of the secretary's proceedings.
'It tells the man that finds it, to come here, don't it ?' asked Hugh.
'I'm no scholar, myself, but I showed it to a friend, and he said it did.' 'It certainly does,' said Gashford, opening his eyes to their utmost width; 'really this is the most remarkable circumstance I have ever known.