A Railway Adventure

Froui Mitss lJnuldoii's " Sumimr TouÍ!t.M I had been the bond-alave, or managing olerk, of Messrs. Catchem &■ Eatem, of Spider's Inn, Holborn, London, for soiuc time, and was aeated in iny prison one lino aftemoon during tho month of Juno, 18( - , béwailing my hard lot in the interrala erf labor, in a somewhat depressed frame ot' nind. I had been engaged for somo time in making out a bilí of costs againgt BOnie unfortiiüate dobtor whom we had been grinding in our legal mili, and had fallón asleep, when I was suddvnly aroused by the deep bass voice of my venerable superior, Mr. Catehem. ■ Mi-, Hopkins," said the voice, " I fiad that I shall bc unablo tO go down to Dedborough to complete thatpurchase of Mr. Ponsonby"s, and thereibre you will have to go. The appointuiüiit for eompletion is at ten o'clock on ïhursday moining, so that y om must leuve town by the 5:18 train to-morrow afternoon, and sleep at Dedborough, ready for the next monung. The purchase nioney is paidinto the London tranch of Messrs. Misgravs bank, at Dedborough. You wil) ih.iviore only have to take a heok with you for the amount, aud get it oashed in the morning ready for the settlement. Come into ïuy room to-morrow about four, and I will give you instructions." Kxit Mr. Catehem, and up jamps Mr. Ilojikins aud executes a war dance ot a jubilant description, indicativo of liis deliglit ut, tlie prospecta before him. I returned tomy liill of costa, thinking that after all old Catohem was porhaps not quite so black as I had painted him. BüsineBs oveï for the day, L walked honin to my lodgings in Lavonder Crescent, Camberweu, still in the same state of exhilaration, " .lani1, said I, bursting into the passage, " 1 am eoing into tho country for a few day8. Wil] you come with mei'" "Lor, Mr. Hopkins, sir," said Jane, " How can I? Ioouldn't leave missus and tlit; 'ouge, even if you was kind enough to take me. Is anything the matter, sir 'e O, don't, sir, piease. You prom86 ! üi" yon wouldn't." Aud Jane leavea my room with her cheeks considerably rouged, and a conviction that I had been taking something besides oiercise After tea I paeked a carpet-bag ready for my country excursión ; and then. in order to get over the intervening time, 1 lighted the pipe of peaoe, and sat myself down in my easy chair to read Lady Sap pho Godiva's delightful " Fleshworms," and to admire the gorgeous npholstery which is therein so minutely described, and, abovo all, the Buoculent morbidezza of tbr female portraits. In the monung I arrayed myself with a degreo ut care belitting the occasion, and departed joyfully for town, having first taken an affeotionate leaye of Jane, whosc faint " Don't! " sounded, I thought, mueh more like "Doi!" The dfty drag■il throngh at last, and punctually at four P. M. I knockcd at Mr. Catchom's green baize door, aud was desirous to enter. ' Tliis is the conveyanco, Mr. Hopkins," said that gentleman, " whioh you will see properly exeoutnd before you pay the jmr chasc moncy ; and take care that all the title-deeds shown in thn abstract are handed over to you at the same time. The money; as I told you, is at Messrs. Musgravi 's bank in Dedborough, and herc is a check for tho amount, L4,0(50. I cannot cross the check, because you will havo to pay in cash; so mimi, it' you pleaWi that you are very careful of the check. The appointment for completion is at Mr. Upton's office in Dedborough, on Tlnirsday. Tliis L10 note is tor your own expenses, for which you will account to me on your retu:n. Good day." I returned my superiors adieu with greal alacrity, and shaking the dust of the office off my feet and elothes, I hailed a passing hansum, and was soon gleefully bowling off to the üreat Xorthern Railway. "Two bob, captain, jilease," said tho jarvey when I got out. 1 observe, by the way, that cabmen generally saluto gentlemen of doubtful oxterior as "captaiii," which I suppose is intended as a delicate compliment. I paid him at onco ' like a gentleman," as he was good enough to assure me ; for though I knew it was doublc fare, I never haggle about the price when 1 urn spending my employers' nioney. Aeting upon the same principie, I took a first-class ticket to Dedborougli, and ensconced myself in tho most oomfortable Qarriage I could tind. I first paid a visit to the book-stall, to próvido myself s üli some literature for posüble eontingencies. I made choice of a magazine oontaining il story called " Gustavus Snook's Will," and was lost in admiration at the boldness of the imaginación displaycd by the author, when the door of the carnüge opened, and a lady entered in deep mourning and seated herself in an oppositc división ; soon afterwards wo got nder way, and were joyfully rattling out of the smoke and noise of the great ll.i'oylon into tho iure air of the country. My companion, though still apparently a mere girl, was dressed in widow's w ds, or rather in that most boooming modification of them which is now prevalent, and in whioh onc single beading of white ciape edging the blaok bonnet does duty for the hideons old widow's cap. So muoh as I could sce of her sla; was vcry pretty. Her conijili.'xioii was perfeotly pale, and she had large deep grey eyes which darkened in color at tUo outor edgo of the iris, vrhere it merged into tbc decp-, black fringe of the oyelaah. Her mouth was liiililni by tlic broad band of doublé urapo wbich edged her veil ; Uut hor lovely brown hair wiis displayrd by lier raito of x bmiiict, and was eoiled in massivc lustïötia Wreatka behind her beautiful hcad. She made no affectation of deep grief; but her eyea had that curious bonnmbed appearance wbiob yim Rometimes seo in uii lUiüual whiöh is rtriökeü v.ith gtat pain. Sorrow alwtvys appears to me so sacred i tliing that I made no effort toward the usmil aoquaintance of fellow-travelere, and aecordingly devotud myself to my book. But some trifling courtesy broki; the ice betwoen us, and it sccined that my companion w:h anxious to obtaiti infof lhation about her journoy. Was I going to Dedborough 'f and what time would the train get there? Could I teil her of any hotel at wliich she eould stay for a short time 'i Would it be very expensive ? She apologized for asking by saying that sho had lived niany years in Franoe, and was entirely ignorant ot" Kugland and its ways. Hei beautiful eyesHUml with toars as she spoke of Franco, and I could not hvlh feoling for óno so young who had suftered so mucu I gave her all the information I could upon the subject, and in return she told me some particulars oí her story, bhe had latoly como from Tours, wliüre slie had lost her husband after year's marriage, and being lcft almost penniless, hor friends had persuadod hor to look for a situation as governess in England instead of, as she would have preferred, in Franco. This place sha luid it length fuund, as slie htipcd, ín the fénüily of a gentleman living near Ihdborough : she was to sleep at tliat town for oue night, aud to be totchcd to the Cadars, her new honie, in the morning. She feared an línglish hotel would be very costly aftor the French ones to which she was accustomed. Would there be o salon in which ladios could sit, or must she take her meáis in her bed room ? All this she aaked in the most natural, innocent, ohildish nianner imaginable, and I could not help thinking what a vory child she was, nul how totally unable to travel in Eugland alono, with her confiding, winning way, and pretty half-foreign accent. I told her in reply that I intended to have a sitting room for ïny own use (whioh, by the w.iy, w:is :i ■( radden intention on my part), and that if she would brighten it with het presenoe during her evening mcal, it would give me very sincere pleasuro. She didn't know. Might sho do so ? Would it be quite en regle for n lady to do so 'i If sho really might - I assured her that she need not be uneasy on tluit score, and I feit roally glad that it w;is in my power to act in some sort as hor protector. As I stepped on to the platform at Dodborough, an inspector on duty inquirod it' my name was Ilopkins. Wondering what prompted the qin;stion, I replied that it was ; and having further made me give the addrees of my flrui in London, he banded me a telegram which had pa my train upon tho wires, and which told me that the purchaso would not be coiupleted till tho Friday morning, as the deods were not Wtady for delivery to the purchaser. " by all means," snid I to myself - " so muoh tlie botter." MoanwhUe I placed my coinpanion and her travoling big in v cab, and drovo witü hor to the Blue Crocodil ■, which wus the1 house in Dedborough thut I had boen advised to stay at. 1 fonnd the hotel ono of tho pleasant, old-iashioned, comfortable houses - now, alas, blooming scarc(!r every year - in which the buxom landlady receivo oue as an old friend, and catcra for ono's comfort with kind solicitude. A great contrast to the " lady manager " of the modern monstt-r hotel, who sits in an inaccessible of, id is far too grand to take any interest in the welfare of the guosts, whom she knows only as "No. (Mï," or whatever the ndme'ral in which their ideutity is lost may chance to be. My companion would have nothing but tea, and, seated at the tea-tai)le, she lookod moro beautiful and child-like than ever. It was a lovcly summer evening, soft and baliny, and sitting at an open window before a garden full of roses and niignonette, the air that filled the room was laden with their fragrance. There was a piano in our room. ani as I sat musing in the gloaming, my compauion seated hereelf before it, and in an absent mood struck a few chords. Gradúa lly she seemed moved to more effort, and in a few minutes tho plaintive strains of Mozart's "Propecoatis" rose upon tho air. The melanoholy solem ity of the prayer seeined to harmonize with her state of sorrow, and slu; smg the words with heartfelt pathos. Like Rubini, sho appearod to havo " tears in her voico," which brcathed the very spirit of passionate sorrow. I sat entranced in u dream of bliss. All too soon this came to an end. My fellow-traveler soon elosed the piano, and with a simple " good night," left me to buikl what castles I might in her absence. She had left her handkcichief on the ground. I picked it up and prsased it to my lips, and as I did so I saw a beautifully einbroidered " Marie" in ono corner of it, wliich I thought a charming name. I kept it as long as I d;ircd, and then rang for the chambermaid to take it up-to her. I sat for some time longer, but t'ie glory was departed, and I v:is soon glad to follow her examplo, and to take what remembranco I could of my pleasure into dreaniland with me. In the morning I breakfasted alono, Madame de Fontagnes (for that I fouád was her name) sending me her compliments, and saying that she preferred to take her cott'ee in her own room. I determined to make tlie most of the day, but fir.-.t placed iny pocket-book, oontain ing the important check, in my travoling bag, and, having oarefully loeked it, I locked the bag itself in one of tho drawers of tho wardrobe in my bed-room, and placed the key in my pocket. I had been clobating with myself as to the safest manner of keeping this check, which was rather a cloud upon my happiueqt, and ] di etned this the safest mannor of taking care of it. Having got this matter oif my mind, I applied myself vigorou4y to the breakfast before me, rcvelling in tho golden butter aud creamy milk of the countiy, after the manufacturad artioles of Lav.ender Oresosnt, where tho butter was made of fat, and tho milk ohiefly Bupplied by the cow with the iion tail. Nor did 1 forgot the more substantial Items ef ogrs and bacon, deeming it advisable, with Major Dalgetty, to jnovonder the garrison against possible sirgos. It was a charnung morning, and I staited off to walk to " Foxholes," the placo which our cliënt had purchased, which was six or seven miles from Dedborough. By mid-day I reached the (intráneo to the house. It was an old red brick building, not of the bright red which tells of Dutoh William and Sir John Vanburgh, but of an earlier dato, stained with agt and lichens, and overgrown with viues and iasmine ïhe old entranco door lookud strong enough to resist a siege, I studded all over with thick iron bosses. I knocked aud was admitted into the great stone-ílaggicl hall, a huge square room with a quadrangular libick oaken stairoase rising from it. Tho doors of entrance into tho various rooms down. stairs wore all of dark ïüahogany, with tlio handles as high as ono's shoulder, and the fire-places wore the old-fashioned " dogs" for wood flros. A delightful place, I thought. How I should likc to spend my days thoro. I left the house with lingerng Pegret) after slayyi ew long a i deoently could, and wandered out to mi the grent fruit garden, passing cm my way a oharming summer pavjflon, built of tho samo red briok. I was glad to rest after tny walk, and I know of uu plaoe of rest so delightful as a garden : " Some flownta of Eden WO Mtill inherit." - and I do vorily believe, for myself, that these paradisaical flowers fióurish ino.;t freely in country gardons. Haring thoroughly restcd myself, I sut out leisurely upon my return joumoy, stopping; to lunch at u roadside inn, whiob 1 had romarked somo half-mile back, üpon the way. I liad most fehoroughly snjoyod my eXÓOttiön so far, but sueh short holidays are clouded r&ther painfully by a sense of their evauescence. I got back to Dedboroagh late in the afternoon, iudalging a vague hopo that my eharmiug fellow traveler might not havo yetleft; but alas! I was doomcd to disappointinont, for my friend the waifc t in ■ formed ine with cheerful alacrity that Madaino de Fontanges had left in her friend's carriago dircctly after lunch, leaving for me a message of compliment and gratnful thanks. ie Transit. My flrst caro was to adjourn to my bedroom, to seo affeer the safety of tho uil important cheque. All safe I found it, and immediately transferred the pocket book contaiuing it to the breast pocket of my coat, as I did not intpnd to leave the house agiiin until I went to attend the appointuieut tor the complution of the pinchase. My sitting room, I faucied, looked very desolate ; but thore was no help for it, and after inner I was glad to adjouru to the coffee-room to lessen the t'eeling of loneliuess. Next inorning I started off to complete the business whieh had brought me down ; but ftrst 1 ealled at Messrs. Musgr.tv.'s bank to cash the cheque, as we could not iisk tho vendor to take our cheque. On prusuiiting the cheque at the counter, I ianciod the eashier looked somewhat surprised, but that I attributod to tho largeness of the amount for whioh it was drawn. After usking me one or two quest i' 'iis ubout it, ho Uok the cheque into the private room of one of tho partners, and in a lew moments ho returned and requestod me to walk into tho privato room of Mr. Musgiavo, as he wished to speak to me about it. I found tho partner holding tho cheque in bia hand, and looking ratüer grave, and I began to fcar that the bank was in a bad way, and that they were unable to meet the paynient. The bunker dosirert his clerk to li and having oarefully closed tho door, he osked me some questionsas tothe drawor of the cheque - wheru I had received it, and su on, whioh, of course, 1 liad nodiöi culty in answering. Still he did not seem satistied, and continucd to question me in a mamier whioh was fast making me angry, when the door oponed, and a quiet gentlematrily iooking man of niiddle age entered the room and wished Mr. ilusgravo " good morning." " This is the .young man," said the banker to him, and proceeded to ropeat my mswers to tho new comer. By this time 1 was getting very uucasy, and asked Mr. Musgrave somewliat impatiently whatwas wrong about the cheque. ' Weü, young mam," said the ncw corner quietly, the luct is the genuiae clieque was presentad yesterday and cashed, and this is a forgery, for which I shall have co detain you untü we have comm unica tod with the drawor." I was utterly stunned at this statement, and deelared vohomontly that it was impossible ; that tho choque had liever lult my possession sineo it was handed over to me ; and that the whoiu story was some villainous conspiracy to ruin me, and to avoid paying over the money. The banker seemed somewhat nettled at this remark, and was beginning an angry roply, when the stranger stopped him, sayiug the loss said the botter. He then said that he was the superintendent of pólice at Dodborough, and t.lmt 1 must consider myself in custody; but if 1 would give my word to go quietly witli him no fuss or scandal need be made about it. I feit like a person in a dream. Could it really be possible that 1 was arrested on a charge ot forgery ': My head swam at the thought, and [ sank fainting in ohair behind me. Mr. Musgrave, wko seemed a humane, fatherly sort cf a man, appeared to be greatly shooked at tho whoie atiair, and per.suaded my custodian to let me have some wine before we lelt, which brought back my scattered senses. Ho then told me that the cheque had been presented about two o'clock on the previous day, and had been p.iid in notes all but the odd sixty pounds, wliieh were cashed in gold. The person presenting it was a youugish man, with moustacho and dark hair, who had answered with perfect correctne.ss several questious about my employers whieh had buen put to him to test his idontity. " And now, young man," Baid the pohoe om'cer, " ttie less you say tho better, because, you know, it will only be used against you. 1 must troublo you to come with me ; but first I must take you back to your hotel to search your room." By this time 1 was so entirely crushed by the whoie affair that I seemed to have lost entirely the power of speech, and had he proposed then and thero to cut off my head I think I should hardly have offered any objection. I walked mochanically by his side through the streets of Dedborough, but they did not look likc the game streets whieh I had passoü through full of hope and conftdeime but a short half-hour before. I fancied that every ouo looked askance at me, and that tliu guilt of the crime whieh 1 had not committed was branded like Cain's upon my brow. Was it really only half au hour sincfi 1 had been freo rit seemed an age ago. We had passod a beggar - a wretched, half starved object ciad in dirty ras - with pallid face and eyes out of which all hope had long since died ; and how devoutly i Longed to exchango places with him, if I could have but snaken off tho inoabus wliich oppreaeed me ! All my old life rose in review before me. - Whero were the troubles which 1 bad thought so heavy 'r Could it be possible that 1 had ever been unhappy before ': The office in Spiden Inn seemed to me now to have bteu the very gate of Ili.avon, and Lavender-Creseent a dream of bliss. And Jane - would she, too, hear of me asa forger'r My ïuind piotnred her readi&g the account of my committal in the Standard, which her mistress Ladulged in, and which gem:rally found its way into the kitchen after Mis. Johnson liad done with it up stairs. Thé very paragraph swaui before ïuy eyes. " The prisoner was a young man of shabby-genteel exterior, and uppeared to foei his position very acutely. In answer to the worthy magistrate, he protestad his innocenco of tho charge agaiiist him," &c, in the stereotyped phraseology that mects eyea trom day to day. "No. 21, sir ; yes si r, certainly. This way, if yo'i please, Mr. Bracelet," said the obsequioiLs ohambermaidof the Crocodilo to tlie great man wlio had me in his gripe, precedlUg us up tho stair.s to the Bedroom. My bedroom ! Where would bc my next bedroom V I wondered. "This j is the room, ifyou picase, si r," saicl Bhe, us she throw open tho door of No. 21. " Thanks, my doar, tliat'll do - you need not stay," said hu to tho girl, whoso oyes wees dilating with wonder to Bee what was coming ne.tt. " This your bug, young man ? Unlock it) pleastii AU! oloau oeUar, shavingt&ckie, nightgojvn, gooks -quito so. Anything in this pocket 't I (noughtso; Hlont inatclios, wax-candies, Bkeleton keys, bank cheques. Yes, yes; now we shal] go. Wo'll take this handy little big with us, ploaao." Was that my bug ': "Was I dreaming '-. Irubbedmy eyeswitha vague hopo that I inight bo in an acoursed nightmore, but no ' my visión reinained tho same, and thoro stood Mr. Superintendent ih-acclot, preparad to attend rac, with my bag in his hand; and a oomp}aoent, eomfortablc smilo upon his face. By this time uiy faculty of' .surprise was utterly exhaustod ; and if he hud again thrust his hand into my bag and pulled forth a snake or a dodo, it would liave appearedto me tho most natural thing in the world. I begged hiin to grant me one favor, which vtm to telograph to my employers in London befóte making any charge befqre a magistrate ; and this he agreed to do. Meanwhilc, he couduoted me to the pólice station in Dedborough, and 1' 't mi tomy ownmoditations, wlneh irere Borröwful enougb! Ifhrag myself down on the benoh of my eoll, hardly oaring what should come next. I must have fallen, 1 suppose, into a troublod sloop, for it was past 1 hree when I was arousod by soiiw one entering the room, and I found myself facu to faeu with -M r. Uatchem. His arrival gave uio courage to teil my story completely from the moment of my lea viug London ; and 1 ws greatly roliovod to ttnd that he seemed to givo credit to it, and that his anxiety to recover the money was nuich greater than to briug home the crime to me. He undortook to be responsible for my appearancc, if required, and einployod Mr. Braeclet to see if he could gain any trace of my too fascinating follow-traveler, whom he made me describe most ïiiinutely. We could leain notbillg of uny such porson at Dodborough station : but on using the wires wo fouud that a lady ausworiug to her desoription, with a geutleman, had taken tickets for Swindon by the 3.5 train of the previous day, from a station on a loop-line te miles across the country from Dedborough. We, of course, proceeded by tho ñrst train to iSwindon, and there again wo got scent of the supposed fugitive as having alighted thero and taken the fitst train to Liverpool . This was hopcful news to me, and 1 brcathed a sigh of relief at the possibility of sucoess. No time was lost in following up the trail ; and by ten o'clock that night we saw tho forost of masts of the great western port tapcring toward the sky vut of tho smoke and mist. We learned that the American steamer Albatross had gono out with the flood tide two hours before, and drovc in hot to the ofn'oe of the company, but it was past business hours, and tho office wa.s closed. On we wentstill - found tli(! lodgings of the cash clork, and huntud hiin from town to a oafechantant in the town, where ho was vigorously applau i ing an imitution of Muilemoiselie Soheidei's Du lot te in "Barbe !Blue." Kathcr sulky at lirst at tho interruption, we soon found moans to mollify him, and - fes, there was a lady and gentleman, who had secuivd berths only that mornLng - didn't seem particular whereabouts in the vussel, so that they could go. " Widow'r " Xo, the lady was certainly not a widow. Young, pretty, and dresscd in colors - blue, he thought. Gentleman, tall, dark, with moustache. The name, ho thought, was Colonol and Mrs. White, but couldn't be sure t i LI he saw his book. " Did they pay in notes 'f " No, in gold; bocauso ho reinembored thinking it strang3 thut they should pay all gold. At nine o'clock in the morning the offices would bo open, but ho would bc there, say at 8:80. This pay ment in gold was what wc foarod, and I bagan to suspect that, after all, they would slip through our fingors. The only thing to do was to search all through the hotels í" 1 1 1 - place, in the vague hope of nnding their lair and gi t - ting some farther clue ; but it was already past twelv., and tliis must he postponed till the morning. We accordingly adjourned to the Koyal Swan for tin night. Mr. Bracelet kindly locked me into myroom - just for forms sako, as he eonsidcrately observed. For hours I could not close my oyes : but at last 1 feil into a confusod sort of slumber, in which I saw that gentleman in widow's weeds, singing that Stabat Mater, whilst the VI able Catchem, in Bulotte's high Norman cap and clanking sabots, danced an outiagcous can-ean, kicking up before and beland like old Joe, with inarvellous agility. Early in the morning Mr. Bracolet sought the assistance of the local blnodhounds, with whose aid we oommenced a systematic visitation of all tho hoteU in the place, each one taking a oertain district. We met at luncheon to report progress - but alas! there was nothine toreport. No traco of our gamo louhl be hit upou, and 1 began to fear that we must have overnm tho seent. One cojfee houso of doubtful repute near the quay still remained to bc exploreil, and boro we found that a lady and gentleman had slopt on the night in question. "Did they pay their bilí with a note?" " Not they - no sueh luck. The bill only 7s. 6d., and tho gent paid that Out of a half -quid. But what inight bo the matter, if not making too böld 's " Tho matter was soon explained, and I fancicd from the woman's marnier that she was kcL'iing sometliing back. '■ Well, wliat might it bo worth to you to get hold o' soino traco on 'em say such a thing as a handkereher, nDW ? " " One pound- two well, fivo pounds, if it turned o ut to be a geimine artiole.' ' Certingly, tho lady liad lelt one under her pilluw, and a real beauty it was." A real beauty indeed It was the ver handk rohief, with the embroidered "Marie " in tho corner, which I had soen M adame de Fontanges use at Dedborough. My haart leaped with dolight to sec that we had again hit the trail. Huw I blessed tho woman for having kopt it back as an addendum to hor " little bill! " Mr. Bracelet lost no timo in working the wires of tho cable, and desiring his brethren in New Ytrk to board the Bteamer before sho touched land, and sooure our frienda, seading them baok by the tirst return parket. And the Ughtning soon flashed back their reply to assuro of their readiness to do so. T went back with my chiof to the Boyal Swan, worn out with tho excitoment, and glad to rest my woary limbs, but, before doing so, I humbly thanked tho God of all mei oy lor my escape from tho net which had been spread for me. In less than four weeks' time the fugitivas rere brought back from New York, and siitely deposited in tho prison at Dedborough, and then the wholo affair was explained. A clork ot' Messrs. C. & E?s had boon leaving their einploy about tho timo of my ill-fated journoy ; but it was in pursuanco of tho usual notico and oxcitod no suspicion. This lad (for he was but oightecn) had seen Marie de l'ontanges, whose 'vil name was Martf Pountain a( the lioyal Pandemonium Uiiaic Hall; id stieet, where she was onguged as a Binger, and here th' siren liad sungaway the poor boy's hoart and senses. Hr feil madlyinlove with her, and wantod t. marry her, bul fifias Pountain did not exiietly see the use uf'that. anless he had soinething to offer. She allowed hiin, however, to visit her at her lodging near Leicester-square, and hsre shu nveted hia more tightly, and gradually moulded him to herwifl. Be toïd her everything about the office altairs, and shc it ■ is who put it iuto liis head tu forge a copy of the oheqne, and to supply hei wiili all necessarjr details for oairying out hor linie soheine. They vrete then to have fttiled to the ji w wortd toge [■ui ofoourae sho took oare to give hio the .-iji, and went away with a former lover ut' het own class, who, in tlio iiitorvals ot' bis professional engagement, did also a little burglary, andit was hiaj who had snpplied her with the ftoceasary toois Lbr opening niy Img, &c, and with thi skeleton koys whioh she liud dopositud thorein, in order to oas( suspicion upon me 11 11 til she had nlade gooa her escape. All but ubjut L100 of the money wn recorered; the three oulprits were tried and convicted ;tt the iiext assszes held at Dudborough, the heaviest sentence fallling apon Mary Foontain, as she was the niiinr mover in tho whole affair. My employors treated me with moro kind: lian I expectüd, but ot' oourso I could nbt expeut to remain in their sorvice. I went back sadly to Lavender-Crescent, to pack up niy eJFect and seok a j cheaper lodging, and there Jane, dear, good Jane, womanlike spread the nis of lier protecting care over me - married mu almost i n spitt1 ot ïnjsrit'. spent all her litr tlu hoord Ld keeping at afious tül better day9 and at last by the rhetorio of loye persoaded her ancle, who is a marketgardenet ;it Battersea, to make mu bis book-keeper and salesman, wuich 1 bai now boen tor nuarly throo years. Tha t'resh air and freedom ot' lii'e suit ïuc much better than a lawyer's otficu ; and although niy cousin Robort, who is atallow-ohandler's shopman, saya 1 havo married boiK'iith me, i. aever rogret the step which I have taken.