TheabsorbinganddisastrousadventureoftheFlyingScudwasnowquiteended；wehaddashedintothesedeepwatersandwehadescapedagaintostarve，wehadbeenruinedandweresaved，hadquarrelledandmadeup；thereremainednothingbuttosingTeDeum，drawaline，andbeginonafreshpageofmyunwrittendiary。IdonotpretendthatIrecoveredallIhadlostwithMamie；itwouldhavebeenmorethanIhadmerited；andI
hadcertainlybeenmoreuncommunicativethanbecameeitherthepartnerorthefriend。Butsheacceptedthepositionhandsomely；andduringtheweekthatInowpassedwiththem，bothsheandJimhadthegracetosparemequestions。ItwastoCalistogathatwewent；therewassomerumourofaNapaland-boomatthemoment，thepossibilityofstirattractedJim，andheinformedmehewouldfindacertainjoyinlookingon，muchasNapoleononSt。Helenatookapleasuretoreadmilitaryworks。Thefieldofhisambitionwasquiteclosed；hewasdonewithaction；andlookedforwardtoaranchinamountaindingle，apatchofcorn，apairofkine，aleisurelyandcontemplativeageinthegreenshadeofforests。“Justletmegetdownonmybackinahayfield。”saidhe，“andyou’llfindthere’snomoresnaptomethanthatmuchputty。”
Andfortwodaystheperfervidbeingactuallyrested。Thethird，hewasobservedinconsultationwiththelocaleditor，andownedhewasintwomindsaboutpurchasingthepressandpaper。“It’sakindofaholdforanidleman。”hesaid，pleadingly；“andifthesectionwastoopenupthewayitoughtto，theremightbedollarsinthething。”Onthefourthdayhewasgonetilldinner-timealone；onthefifthwemadealongpicnicdrivetothefreshfieldofenterprise；andthesixthwaspassedentirelyinthepreparationofprospectuses。ThepioneerofMcBrideCitywasalreadyuprightandself-reliantasofyore；
thefirerekindledinhiseye，theringrestoredtohisvoice；achargersniffingbattleandsayingha-ha，amongthespears。Ontheseventhmorningwesignedadeedofpartnership，forJimwouldnotacceptadollarofmymoneyotherwise；andhavingoncemoreengagedmyself——orthatmortalpartofme，mypurse——amongthewheelsofhismachinery，IreturnedalonetoSanFranciscoandtookquartersinthePalaceHotel。
ThesamenightIhadNarestodinner。Hissunburntface，hisqueerandpersonalstrainoftalk，recalleddaysthatwerescarceoverandthatseemedalreadydistant。Throughthemusicofthebandoutside，andthechinkandclatterofthedining-room，itseemedtomeasifIheardthefoamingofthesurfandthevoicesofthesea-birdsaboutMidwayIsland。Thebruisesonourhandswerenotyethealed；andtherewesat，waitedonbyelaboratedarkies，eatingpompanoanddrinkingicedchampagne。
“ThinkofourdinnersontheNorah，captain，andthenobligemebylookingroundtheroomforcontrast。”
Hetookthesceneinslowly。“Yes，itislikeadream。”hesaid：
“likeasifthedarkieswerereallyaboutasbigasdimes；andagreatbigscuttlemightopenupthere，andJohnsonstickinagreatbigheadandshoulders，andcry，’Eightbells！’——andthewholethingvanish。”
“Well，it’stheotherthingthathasdonethat。”Ireplied。“It’sallbygonenow，alldeadandburied。Amen！sayI。”
“Idon’tknowthat，Mr。Dodd；andtotellyouthefact，Idon’tbelieveit。”saidNares。“There’smoreFlyingScudintheoven；
andthebaker’sname，Itakeit，isBellairs。Hetackledmethedaywecamein：sortofarazeeofpooroldhumanity——juryclothes——fullnewsuitofpimples：knewhimatoncefromyourdescription。IlethimpumpmetillIsawhisgame。Heknowsagooddealthatwedon’tknow，agooddealthatwedo，andsuspectsthebalance。There’stroublebrewingforsomebody。”
IwassurprisedIhadnotthoughtofthisbefore。Bellairshadbeenbehindthescenes；hehadknownDickson；heknewtheflightofthecrew；itwashardlypossiblebutwhatheshouldsuspect；itwascertainifhesuspected，thathewouldseektotradeonthesuspicion。Andsureenough，Iwasnotyetdressedthenextmorningerethelawyerwasknockingatmydoor。Ilethimin，forIwascurious；andhe，aftersomeambiguousprolegomena，roundlyproposedIshouldgoshareswithhim。
“Sharesinwhat？”Iinquired。
“Ifyouwillallowmetoclothemyideainasomewhatvulgarform。”saidhe，“Imightaskyou，didyougotoMidwayforyourhealth？”
“Idon’tknowthatIdid。”Ireplied。
“Similarly，Mr。Dodd，youmaybesureIwouldneverhavetakenthepresentstepwithoutinfluentialgrounds。”pursuedthelawyer。“Intrusionisforeigntomycharacter。ButyouandI，sir，areengagedonthesameends。Ifwecancontinuetoworkthethingincompany，Iplaceatyourdisposalmyknowledgeofthelawandaconsiderablepracticeindelicatenegotiationssimilartothis。Shouldyourefusetoconsent，youmightfindinmeaformidableand“——hehesitated——“andtomyownregret，perhapsadangerouscompetitor。”
“Didyougetthisbyheart？”Iasked，genially。
“IadviseYOUto！”hesaid，withasuddensparkleoftemperandmenace，instantlygone，instantlysucceededbyfreshcringing。“Iassureyou，sir，Iarriveinthecharacterofafriend；
andIbelieveyouunderestimatemyinformation。IfImayinstanceanexample，Iamacquaintedtothelastdimewithwhatyoumade(orratherlost)，andIknowyouhavesincecashedaconsiderabledraftonLondon。”
“Whatdoyouinfer？”Iasked。
“Iknowwherethatdraftcamefrom。”hecried，wincingbacklikeonewhohasgreatlydared，andinstantlyregretstheventure。
“So？”saidI。
“YouforgetIwasMr。Dickson’sconfidentialagent。”heexplained。“Youhadhisaddress，Mr。Dodd。WeweretheonlytwothathecommunicatedwithinSanFrancisco。Youseemydeductionsarequiteobvious：youseehowopenandfrankI
dealwithyou，asIshouldwishtodowithanygentlemanwithwhomIwasconjoinedinbusiness。YouseehowmuchI
know；anditcanscarcelyescapeyourstrongcommon-sense，howmuchbetteritwouldbeifIknewall。Youcannothopetogetridofmeatthistimeofday，Ihavemyplaceintheaffair，I
cannotbeshakenoff；Iam，ifyouwillexcusearathertechnicalpleasantry，anencumbranceontheestate。TheactualharmI
cando，Ileaveyoutovaluateforyourself。Butwithoutgoingsofar，Mr。Dodd，andwithoutinanywayinconveniencingmyself，Icouldmakethingsveryuncomfortable。Forinstance，Mr。Pinkerton’sliquidation。YouandIknow，sir——andyoubetterthanI——onwhatalargefundyoudraw。IsMr。Pinkertoninthethingatall？Itwasyouonlywhoknewtheaddress，andyouwereconcealingit。SupposeIshouldcommunicatewithMr。Pinkerton——“
“Lookhere！”Iinterrupted，“communicatewithhim(ifyouwillpermitmetoclothemyideainavulgarshape)tillyouareblueintheface。ThereisonlyonepersonwithwhomIrefusetoallowyoutocommunicatefurther，andthatismyself。Goodmorning。”
Hecouldnotconcealhisrage，disappointment，andsurprise；
andinthepassage(Ihavenodoubt)wasshakenbySt。Vitus。
Iwasdisgustedbythisinterview；itstruckmehardtobesuspectedonallhands，andtohearagainfromthistraffickerwhatIhadheardalreadyfromJim’swife；andyetmystrongestimpressionwasdifferentandmightratherbedescribedasanimpersonalfear。Therewassomethingagainstnatureintheman’scravenimpudence；itwasasthoughalambhadbuttedme；suchdaringatthehandsofsuchadastard，impliedunchangeableresolve，agreatpressureofnecessity，andpowerfulmeans。IthoughtoftheunknownCarthew，anditsickenedmetoseethisferretonhistrail。
UponinquiryIfoundthelawyerwasbutjustdisbarredforsomemalpractice；andthediscoveryaddedexcessivelytomydisquiet。Herewasarascalwithoutmoneyorthemeansofmakingit，thrustoutofthedoorsofhisowntrade，publiclyshamed，anddoubtlessinadeuceofabadtemperwiththeuniverse。Here，ontheotherhand，wasamanwithasecret；
rich，terrified，practicallyinhiding；whohadbeenwillingtopaytenthousandpoundsforthebonesoftheFlyingScud。I
slippedinsensiblyintoamentalalliancewiththevictim；thebusinessweighedonme；alldaylong，Iwaswonderinghowmuchthelawyerknew，howmuchheguessed，andwhenhewouldopenhisattack。
Someoftheseproblemsareunsolvedtothisday；othersweresoonmadeclear。WherehegotCarthew’snameisstillamystery；perhapssomesailorontheTempest，perhapsmyownsea-lawyerservedhimforatool；butIwasactuallyathiselbowwhenhelearnedtheaddress。Itfellso。Oneevening，whenIhadanengagementandwaskillingtimeuntilthehour，Ichancedtowalkinthecourtofthehotelwhilethebandplayed。Theplacewasbrightasdaywiththeelectriclight；andIrecognised，atsomedistanceamongtheloiterers，thepersonofBellairsintalkwithagentlemanwhosefaceappearedfamiliar。ItwascertainlysomeoneIhadseen，andseenrecently；butwhoorwhere，Iknewnot。Aporterstandinghardby，gavemethenecessaryhint。ThestrangerwasanEnglishnavyman，invalidedhomefromHonolulu，wherehehadlefthisship；indeed，itwasonlyfromthechangeofclothesandtheeffectsofsickness，thatIhadnotimmediatelyrecognisedmyfriendandcorrespondent，LieutenantSebright。
Theconjunctionoftheseplanetsseemingominous，Idrewnear；butitseemedBellairshaddonehisbusiness；hevanishedinthecrowd，andIfoundmyofficeralone。
“Doyouknowwhomyouhavebeentalkingto，Mr。Sebright？”
Ibegan。
“No。”saidhe；“Idon’tknowhimfromAdam。Anythingwrong？”
“Heisadisreputablelawyer，recentlydisbarred。”saidI。“I
wishIhadseenyouintime。ItrustyoutoldhimnothingaboutCarthew？”
Heflushedtohisears。“I’mawfullysorry。”hesaid。“Heseemedcivil，andIwantedtogetridofhim。Itwasonlytheaddressheasked。”
“Andyougaveit？”Icried。
“I’mreallyawfullysorry。”saidSebright。“I’mafraidIdid。”
“Godforgiveyou！”wasmyonlycomment，andIturnedmybackupontheblunderer。
Thefatwasinthefirenow：Bellairshadtheaddress，andIwasthemoredeceivedorCarthewwouldhavenewsofhim。Sostrongwasthisimpression，andsopainful，thatthenextmorningIhadthecuriositytopaythelawyer’sdenavisit。Anoldwomanwasscrubbingthestair，andtheboardwasdown。
“LawyerBellairs？”saidtheoldwoman。“GoneEastthismorning。There’sLawyerDeannextblockup。”
IdidnottroubleLawyerDean，butwalkedslowlybacktomyhotel，ruminatingasIwent。Theimageoftheoldwomanwashingthatdesecratedstairhadstruckmyfancy；itseemedthatallthewater-supplyofthecityandallthesoapintheStatewouldscarcesufficetocleanseit，ithadbeensolongaclearing-houseofdingysecretsandafactoryofsordidfraud。Andnowthecornerwasuntenanted；somejudge，likeacarefulhousewife，hadknockeddowntheweb，andthebloatedspiderwasscuttlingelsewhereafternewvictims。Ihadoflate(asI
havesaid)insensiblytakensideswithCarthew；nowwhenhisenemywasathisheels，myinterestgrewmorewarm；andI
begantowonderifIcouldnothelp。ThedramaoftheFlyingScudwasenteringonanewphase。Ithadbeensingularfromthefirst：itpromisedanextraordinaryconclusion；andI，whohadpaidsomuchtolearnthebeginning，mightpayalittlemoreandseetheend。IlingeredinSanFrancisco，indemnifyingmyselfafterthehardshipsofthecruise，spendingmoney，regrettingit，continuallypromisingdepartureforthemorrow。Whynotgoindeed，andkeepawatchuponBellairs？
IfImissedhim，therewasnoharmdone，IwasthenearerParis。IfIfoundandkepthistrail，itwashardifIcouldnotputsomestickinhismachinery，andattheworstIcouldpromisemyselfinterestingscenesandrevelations。
Insuchamixedhumour，Imadeupwhatitpleasesmetocallmymind，andoncemoreinvolvedmyselfinthestoryofCarthewandtheFlyingScud。ThesamenightIwrotealetteroffarewelltoJim，andoneofanxiouswarningtoDr。UrquartbegginghimtosetCarthewonhisguard；themorrowsawmeintheferry-boat；andtendayslater，IwaswalkingthehurricanedeckontheCityofDenver。Bythattimemymindwasprettymuchmadedownagain，itsnaturalcondition：ItoldmyselfthatIwasboundforParisorFontainebleautoresumethestudyofthearts；andIthoughtnomoreofCartheworBellairs，oronlytosmileatmyownfondness。TheoneIcouldnotserve，evenifIwanted；theotherIhadnomeansoffinding，evenifIcouldhaveatallinfluencedhimafterhewasfound。
Andforallthat，Iwascloseontheheelsofanabsurdadventure。Myneighbourattablethateveningwasa’FriscomanwhomIknewslightly。Ifoundhehadcrossedtheplainstwodaysinfrontofme，andthiswasthefirststeamerthathadleftNewYorkforEuropesincehisarrival。TwodaysbeforememeantadaybeforeBellairs；anddinnerwasscarcedonebeforeIwasclosetedwiththepurser。
