"You will undertake the work?"

"On conditions."

He got up from his seat and held out his hand to me. "Let's shake hands on it," he cried.

"Not yet," I replied; "I must name my conditions first."

"Well, what are they, Roger, lad? Don't be unreasonable."

"First," I replied, "this business will need money. It may take many weeks. I know not what will happen to me on the way. I must not go to Endellion a moneyless man."

"We have thought of that," replied young Peter; "there are a hundred guineas in this bag."

"That is well," I replied; "it is a stingy allowance, but it may suffice. The next condition I make is, that you draw up a writing stating what you have just promised me."

"It shall be done."

"Then send for Mr. Hendy, my attorney, without delay."

"Why?"

"That it may be placed in his hands."

"I—I cannot consent to that," cried old Peter. "I want no other person to know our plans. I will keep the paper safely, lad, quite safely."

I thought I saw his cunning now. If they kept the agreement, I should be quite powerless to claim my own, even if I did my work. I saw,[Pg 34] too, why they were so willing to offer liberal terms.

[Pg 34]

"If you refuse, I refuse," I replied. "I stake everything on this, Peter Trevisa. If I fail to bring that maid here to Treviscoe, it will mean that I am a dead man, for I swear that I will not give up while I am alive. If I promise, I promise." This I said firmly, for I knew the danger which attended my work.

"But I will do right, you may trust me," wheedled the old man.

"Maybe," I replied; "do as I say, or I refuse. I simply demand that you write the matter down and sign it. On conditions that I bring the maid, Nancy Molesworth, to Treviscoe, within two months, you give me back the Trevanion 

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