uare, knocked, and were admitted into a
large, elegantly-furnished mansion. The footman announced us--"My dear
Lady Maelstrom, allow me the honour of introducing to you my very
particular friend, Mr Newland, consigned to my charge by my Lord
Windermear during his absence. He has just arrived from the continent,
where he has been making the grand tour."

Her ladyship honoured me with a smile. "By-the-bye, Major, that reminds
me--do me the favour to come to the window. Excuse us one moment, Mr
Newland."

The Major and Lady Maelstrom walked to the window, and exchanged a few
sentences, and then returned. Her ladyship holding up her finger, and
saying to him as they came towards me, "Promise me now that you won't
forget."

"Your ladyship's slightest wishes are to me imperative commands,"
replied the Major, with a graceful bow.

In a quarter of an hour, during which the conversation was animated, we
rose to take our leave, when her ladyship came up to me, and offering
her hand, said, "Mr Newland, the friendship of Lord Windermear, and the
introduction of Major Carbonnell, are more than sufficient to induce me
to put your name down on my visiting list. I trust I shall see a great
deal of you, and that we shall be great friends."

I bowed to this handsome announcement, and we retired. As soon as we
were out in the square, the Major observed, "You saw her take me on one
side--it was to _pump_. She has no daughters, but about fifty nieces,
and match-making is her delight. I told her that I would stake my honour
upon your possessing ten thousand a year; how much more I could not say.
I was not far wrong, was I?"

I laughed. "What I may be worth, Major, I really cannot say; but I trust
that the event will prove that you are not far wrong. Say no more, my
dear fellow."

"I understand--you are not yet of age--of course, have not yet come into
possession of your fortune."

"That is exactly the case, Major. I am now but little more than
nineteen."

"You look older; but there is no getting over baptismal registries with
the executors. Newland, you must content yourself for the two next years
in playing Moses, and only peep at the promised land."

We made two or three more calls, and then returned to St James's Street.
"Where shall we go now? By-the-bye, don't you want to go to your
banker's?"

"I will just stroll down with you, and see if they have paid any money
in," replied I, carelessly.

We called at Drummond's, an