'That you can easily do,' said the landlord, and
forthwith conducted him into the common room, where he saw a
respectable-looking man, dressed like a Quaker, and seemingly about
sixty years of age.
"My friend, after a short apology, showed him the note which he
held in his hand, stating that he had no doubt it was a spurious
one, and begged to be informed where he had taken it, adding, that
a particular friend of his was at present in trouble, owing to his
having taken similar notes from a stranger at Horncastle; but that
he hoped that he, the Quaker, could give information, by means of
which the guilty party, or parties, could be arrested. At the
mention of Horncastle, it appeared to my friend that the Quaker
gave a slight start. At the conclusion of this speech, however, he
answered, with great tranquillity, that he had received it in the
way of business at -, naming one of the principal towns in
Yorkshire, from a very respectable person, whose name he was
perfectly willing to communicate, and likewise his own, which he
said was James, and that he was a merchant residing at Liverpool;
that he would write to his friend at -, requesting him to make
inquiries on the subject; that just at that moment he was in a
hurry to depart, having some particular business at a town about
ten miles off, to go to which he had bespoken a post-chaise of the
landlord; that with respect to the note, it was doubtless a very
disagreeable thing to have a suspicious one in his possession, but
that it would make little difference to him, as he had plenty of
other money, and thereupon he pulled out a purse, containing
various other notes, and some gold, observing, 'that his only
motive for wishing to change the other note was a desire to be well
provided with change;' and finally, that if they had any suspicion
with respect to him, he was perfectly willing to leave the note in
their possession till he should return, which he intended to do in
about a fortnight.
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