d appeared. "Mr. Trigger
says as he's in the greatest possible haste, Sir Thomas." The reader,
however, may as well be informed that this was pure invention on the
part of Mr. Stemm.

Sir Thomas tore his hair and rubbed his face. He couldn't bid Neefit
to call again, as he certainly did not desire to have a second visit.
"What can I do for you, Mr. Neefit? I have no doubt the money will be
paid, if owing. I will guarantee that for you."

"It ain't the money. I knows how to get my money."

"Then what can I do for you?"

"Make him go upon the square, Sir Thomas."

"How can I make him? He's twenty-six years old, and he's nothing to
me. I don't think he should marry the young lady. He's not in her
rank of life. If he has done her an injury, he must pay for it."

"Injury!" shouted Neefit, upon whose mind the word produced an
unintended idea. "No, no! Our Polly ain't like that. By G----, I'd
eat him, if it was that way! There ain't a duchess in the land as 'd
've guv' him his answer more ready than Polly had he ever spoke to
her that way."

"If he has given rise to hopes which through him will be
disappointed," said Sir Thomas, gravely, "he is bound to make what
compensation may be in his power."

"Compensation be d----!" said Neefit. "He must marry her."

"I don't think he will do that."

"You didn't think he would take my money, I suppose; but he did.
You didn't think he'd come and spend his Sundays out at my cottage,
but he did. You didn't think as he'd come after our Polly down to
Ramsgate, but he did. You didn't think as he'd give me his word to
make her his wife, but he did." At every assertion that he made, the
breeches-maker bobbed forward his bullet head, stretched open his
eyes, and stuck out his under lip. During all this excited energy,
he was not a man pleasant to the eye. "And now how is it to be, Sir
Thomas? That's what I want to know."

"Mr. Newton is nothing to me, Mr. Neefit."

"Oh;--that's all. Nothing to you, ain't he? Wasn't he brought up by
you just as a son like? And now he ain't nothing to you! Do you mean
to say as he didn't ought to marry my girl?"

"I think he ought not to marry her."

"Not arter his promise?"

Sir Thomas was driven very hard, whereas had the sly old
breeches-maker told all his story, there would have been no
difficulty at all. "I think such a marriage would lead to the
happiness of neither party. If an injury has been done,--as I fear
may be too probable,--I wi