e as Charlie became positively odious. The effort to
conceal his new condition would be almost impossible, and yet to admit
it to him would be, he felt, to shatter for ever the only friendship he
really prized. He racked his brain for expedients and excuses to avert
the visit, but without avail. If he pleaded illness Charlie would be
the first to rush to his bedside; if he pleaded hard work Charlie would
insist on sharing it, or improving its few intervals of rest; if he
pleaded disinclination Charlie would devise a hundred other plans to
please him. In short, Charlie's visit was inevitable, and as he looked
forward to it he writhed in misgiving and anxiety.

His visits to the music-hall were meanwhile continuing, and his circle
of acquaintance at that evil haunt enlarging. He was duly installed as
one of the "fast set" at Saint Elizabeth's, and under its auspices had
already made his _debut_ at other scenes and places than that of his
first transgression. He was known by sight to a score of billiard-
markers, potmen, blacklegs, and lower characters still, and was on
nodding terms with fully half of them. He had lost considerably more
than he had gained at billiards, and was still further emptying his
purse at cards. Quick work for a few weeks! So quickly and fatally,
alas! Will the infection, once admitted, spread, especially in a
patient whose moral constitution has undergone so long a course of slow
preparation as Tom's had.

The day came at last. Tom had carefully hidden away his worst books and
his spirits; he had bathed his face half a dozen times, to remove the
traces of last night's intemperance he had gathered together from the
corners where they had for so long lain neglected the books and relics
of his Randlebury days, and restored them to their old places; he had
brightened me up, and he had taken pains to purify his room from the
smell of rank tobacco; and then he sauntered down to the station.

How my heart beat as the train came into the platform! _His_ head was
out of the window, and _his_ hand was waving to us a hundred yards off;
and the next minute he had burst from the carriage, and seized Tom by
the hands.

"How are you, old Tom? I thought we'd never get here; how glad I am to
set eyes on you! Isn't this a spree?" And not waiting for Tom's answer
he hauled his traps out of the carriage in a transport of delight.

Still the same jovial, honest, fine-hearted boy.

"Hi! here! some