ew, and whom, in another moment, he recognised
as Blandford.

There was some excuse certainly for not taking in his old schoolfellow's
identity all at once, for the boy he had known at Wilderham only a few
months ago had suddenly blossomed forth into a man, and had exchanged
the airy bearing of a school-boy for the half-languid swagger of a man
about town.

"Hullo, Bland, old man!" exclaimed Reginald, lighting up jubilantly at
the sight of an old familiar face, "how are you? Who would have thought
of seeing you?"

Blandford was surprised too, and for a moment critically surveyed the
boy in front of him before he replied.

"Ah, Cruden, that you? I shouldn't have known you."

Reginald's face fell. He became suddenly aware, and for the first time
in his life, that his clothes were shabby, and that his boots were in
holes.

"I shouldn't have known you," he replied; "you look so much older than
when I saw you last."

"So I am; but, I say," added Bland, reddening as an acquaintance passed
and nodded to him, "I'm rather in a hurry, Cruden, just now. If you're
not engaged this evening, come and dine with me at seven at the Shades,
and we can have a talk. Good-bye."

And he went on hurriedly, leaving Reginald with an uncomfortable
suspicion that if he--Reginald--had been more smartly dressed, and had
worn gloves and a tall hat, the interview would have been more cordial
and less hasty.

However, the longing he felt for the old happy days that were past
decided him to appear at the Shades at the hour appointed, although it
meant absence from home on one of his few remaining evenings, and, still
more, a further desertion of young Gedge.

He repented of his resolution almost as soon as he had made it. What
was to be gained by assuming a false position for an evening, and trying
to delude himself into the notion that he was the equal of his old
comrade? Did not his clothes, his empty pockets, the smart of Durfy's
tongue, and even the letter now on its way to Mr Medlock, all disprove
it? And yet, three months ago, he was a better man all round than
Blandford, who had been glad to claim his friendship and accept his
father's hospitality. Reginald rebelled against the idea that they two
could still be anything to one another than the friends they had once
been; but all the while the old school saw came back into his mind--that
imposition sentence he had in his day written out hundreds of times
without once thinki