w coals to give it
extra weight, and toiled off with it to the nearest steamboat pier,
where he spent his remaining pence in purchasing a ticket to the Temple.

* * * * *

Next day the following paragraph appeared in one of the evening papers,
which probably had more space than usual at its disposal:

"SINGULAR OCCURRENCE ON A PENNY
STEAMER

"A gentleman on board one of the Thames steamboats (so we are informed
by an eye-witness) met with a somewhat ludicrous mishap yesterday
evening. It appears that he had with him a small portmanteau, or large
hand-bag, which he was supporting on the rail of the stern bulwark. Just
as the vessel was opposite the Savoy Hotel he incautiously raised his
hand to the brim of his hat, thereby releasing hold of the bag, which
overbalanced itself and fell into the deepest part of the river, where
it instantly sank. The owner (whose carelessness occasioned considerable
amusement to passengers in his immediate vicinity) appeared no little
disconcerted by the oversight, and was not unnaturally reticent as to
the amount of his loss, though he was understood to state that the bag
contained nothing of any great value. However this may be, he has
probably learnt a lesson which will render him more careful in future."

THE EPILOGUE

On a certain evening in May Horace Ventimore dined in a private room at
the Savoy, as one of the guests of Mr. Samuel Wackerbath. In fact, he
might almost be said to be the guest of the evening, as the dinner was
given by way of celebrating the completion of the host's new country
house at Lipsfield, of which Horace was the architect, and also to
congratulate him on his approaching marriage (which was fixed to take
place early in the following month) with Miss Sylvia Futvoye.

"Quite a small and friendly party!" said Mr. Wackerbath, looking round
on his numerous sons and daughters, as he greeted Horace in the
reception-room. "Only ourselves, you see, Miss Futvoye, a young lady
with whom you are fairly well acquainted, and her people, and an old
schoolfellow of mine and his wife, who are not yet arrived. He's a man
of considerable eminence," he added, with a roll of reflected importance
in his voice; "quite worth your cultivating. Sir Lawrence Pountney, his
name is. I don't know if you remember him, but he discharged the onerous
duties of Lord Mayor of London the year before last, and acquitted
himself ve