istle amused me while writing it and vexed me when it had gone.
But a letter sent, upon special request, by railway, should not, I
thought, be couched in the ordinary strain. Besides one could not write
seriously of a person like Lady Sampleman.

I consulted my aunt Dorothy's scruples by stopping my father on his way
to the lady. His carriage was at the door: I suggested money-lenders: he
had tried them all. He begged me to permit him to start: but it was
too ignominious to think of its being done under my very eyes, and
I refused. He had tried the money-lenders yesterday. They required a
mortgage solider than expectations for the sum we wanted. Dettermain
and Newson had declined to undertake the hypothecation of his annuity.
Providence pointed to Sampleman.

'You change in a couple of nights, Richie,' said he. 'Now I am always
the identical man. I shall give happiness to one sincerely good soul. I
have only to offer myself--let me say in becoming modesty, I believe so.
Let me go to her and have it over, for with me a step taken is a thing
sanctified. I have in fact held her in reserve. Not that I think Fortune
has abandoned us: but a sagacious schemer will not leave everything to
the worthy Dame. I should have driven to her yesterday, if I had not
heard from Dettermain and Newson that there was a hint of a negotiation
for a compromise. Government is fairly frightened.'

He mused. 'However, I slept on it, and arrived at the conclusion this
morning that my old Richie stood in imminent jeopardy of losing the
fruit of all my toil. The good woman will advance the money to her
husband. When I pledged my word to the squire I had reason to imagine
the two months a sufficient time. We have still a couple of days. I have
heard of men who lost heart at the eleventh hour, and if they had
only hung on, with gallant faith in themselves, they would have been
justified by the result. Faith works miracles. At least it allows time
for them.'

His fertile ingenuity spared mine the task of persuading him to postpone
the drive to Lady Sampleman. But that he would have been prompt to
go, at a word from me, and was actually about to go when I entered his
house, I could not question.

He drove in manifest relief of mind to Dettermain and Newson's.

I had an appointment with Mr. Temple at a great political Club, to meet
the gentlemen who were good enough to undertake the introduction of
the infant member to the House of Commons. My inces