wn. It was by no means an interesting neighborhood.
But Hinton, soon lost in his private and anxious musings, went on. At
last he left the public thoroughfare and turned down a private road.
There were no shops here, nor much traffic. He felt a sense of relief at
leaving the roar and bustle behind him. This road on which he had now
entered was flanked at each side by a small class of dwelling-houses,
some shabby and dirty, some bright and neat; all, however, were
poor-looking. It was quite dusk by this time, and the gas had been
already lit. This fact, perhaps, was the reason which drew Hinton's
much-preoccupied attention to a trivial circumstance.

In one of these small houses a young woman, who had previously lit the
gas, stepped to the window and proceeded to paste a card to the pane.
There was a gas lamp also directly underneath, and Hinton, raising his
eyes, saw very distinctly, not only the little act, but also the words
on the card. They were the very common words----

APARTMENTS TO LET

INQUIRE WITHIN.

Hinton suddenly drew up short on the pavement. He did not live in his
chambers, and it occurred to him that here he would be within a walk of
Regent's Park. In short, that these shabby-looking little lodgings might
suit him for the next few uncertain months. As suddenly as he had
stopped, and the thought had come to him, he ran up the steps and rang
the bell. In a moment or two a little servant-maid opened the door. She
was neither a clean nor a tidy-looking maid, and Hinton, fastidious on
such matters, took in this fact at a glance. Nevertheless the desire to
find for himself a habitation in this shabby little house did not leave
him.

"I saw a card up in your window. You have rooms to let," he said to the
little maid.

"Oh, yes, indeed, please, sir," answered the servant with a broad and
delighted grin. "'Tis h'our drawing-rooms, please, sir; and ef you'll
please jest come inter the 'all I'll run and tell missis."

Hinton did so; and in another moment the maid, returning, asked him to
step this way.

This way led him into a dingy little parlor, and face to face with a
young woman who, pale, self-possessed, and ladylike, rose to meet him.
Hinton felt the color rising to his face at sight of her. He also
experienced a curious and sudden constriction of his heart, and an
overawed sense of some special Providence leading him here. For he had
seen this young woman before. She was Charlotte Home. In his