s! Come round to my hotel to-morrow at
eight, and I'll see what I can do for you," said Mr Medlock.

Durfy knew how to value such promises, and did not look by any means
jubilant at the prospect held out. However, at this moment Blandford
and Pillans entered the supper-room, and his hosts had something better
to think about than him.

He was hustled from his place to make room for the new guests, and
surlily retired to a neighbouring table, where, if he could not hear all
that was said, he could at least see all that went on.

"Hullo!" said Shanklin gaily, "here's a nice time to turn up, dear boys.
Medlock and I have nearly done supper."

"Couldn't help. We've been to the theatre, haven't we, Pillans?" said
Blandford, who appeared already to be rather the worse for drink.

"I have. _You've_ been in the bar most of the time," said Pillans.

"Ha! ha! I was told Bland was studying for the Bar. I do like
application," said Mr Medlock.

Blandford seemed to regard this as a compliment, and sitting down at the
table, told the waiter to bring a bottle of champagne and some more
glasses.

"Well," he said, with a simper, "what I say I'll do, I'll do. I said
I'd turn up here and pay you that bill, Shanklin, and I have turned up,
haven't I?"

"Upon my honour, I'd almost forgotten that bill," said Mr Shanklin, who
had thought of little else for the last week. "It's not inconvenient, I
hope?"

Blandford laughed stupidly.

"Sorry if a trifle like that was inconvenient," said he, with all the
languor of a millionaire. "Forget what it was about. Some take in,
I'll swear. Never mind, a debt's a debt, and here goes. How much is
it?"

"Fifty," said Mr Shanklin.

Blandford produced a pocket-book with a flourish, and took from it a
handful of notes that made Durfy's eyes, as he sat at the distant table,
gleam. The half-tipsy spendthrift was almost too muddled to count them
correctly, but finally he succeeded in extracting five ten-pound notes
from the bundle, which he tossed to Shanklin.

"Thanks, very much," said that gentleman, putting them in his pocket.
"I find I've left your bill at home, but I'll send it round to you in
the morning."

"Oh, all serene!" said Blandford, putting his pocketbook back into his
pocket. "Have another bottle of cham--do--just to celebrate--settling--
old scores. Hullo, where are you, Pillans?"

Pillans had gone off to play billiards with Mr Medlock, so Blandford
and Mr Shank