_Anna Wenbourne St. Ives to Louisa Clifton_
_London, Grosvenor Street_
Frank is returned; and, as usual, crowned with success.
I had been puzzling myself to no purpose, concerning Mr. Mac Fane being
one of our old acquaintance. It appears he was the accomplice of the
highwayman, Webb, the brother of Peggy, who was shot by Frank at
Turnham Green. He forebore to tell me, in part because he had not time
to connect and relate the grounds of his suspicion; though his chief
reason was lest a whisper, heard by Laura or any other, should have
betrayed and overturned his whole scheme.
He went immediately to question Mrs. Clarke, concerning her nephew. She
knew not what was become of him; for, after having determined to go
abroad, he changed his mind; and, being reproved and discountenanced by
her, he had forborne his visits. She had even refused to hear his name
mentioned. But she believed her niece, Peggy, had some knowledge of
him; though she was not certain.
Frank thought proper to confide in Mrs. Clarke, and they immediately
went in quest of the niece. From her they learned that he had been
promoted to the office of groom-porter at a gambling house: and in fact
he proved to be the very man who had been present at the transaction
between Edward and Mr. Mac Fane.
Peggy was next questioned concerning his present hiding-place. She was
confused; she stammered, and trembled. Was not her brother in danger?
Could she be sure no harm would come to him?--At last however the mild
and humane reasoning of Frank, and the authority of Mrs. Clarke
subdued, her terrors--He was in the house.
It seems the moment he knew it was Captain St. Ives, my brother, whom
Mr. Mac Fane had been plundering, he refused to appear, or have any
further concern in the affair: and being violently threatened by the
gambler, who wanted to force him to come forward as his witness, he
concealed himself for fear; not knowing to what excess so desperate a
man might be carried by his passions. He and Peggy had just been
debating on the propriety of appearing to bear testimony in my
brother's behalf; but were too much alarmed to decide.
Frank lost no time. He took the man with him in the carriage, and
hastened to my brother's apartments; where he left him, and immediately
drove away to Bow-street, to procure the assistance of the police.
Previous to this, Mr. Mac Fane, having received some intimation that
there was danger, had written to my brother. The following is a copy of
his letter; and no bad specimen of the man.
Sir,
I find you think that there is a bit of a blunder in this business,
and that you doubt the doctors. I understand too that Webb, the
groom porter, is under obligations to your honourable family; for
which raison the lying spalpeen pretends that he smoaked a bale of
Fulhams--To be sure it is all a mistake--I am a man of honour; and
you, Captain, are a man of honour also; for which I give up the coal
to your ginerosity; in raison whereof hush is the word. And so in
that case, I remain your most obedient humble sarvant. But if not,
why the bull dogs must bark.