ith me."

"And when you did make it," continued Maryanne, "why didn't you see
it out?" Robinson did not find it easy to answer this accusation.
That matter has still dominion over mind, though the days are coming
when mind shall have dominion over matter, was a lesson which, in
after days, it would be sweet to teach her. But at the present moment
the time did not serve for such teaching. "A man must look after his
own, George, or else he'll go to the wall," she said, with a sneer.
And then he parted from her in anger.

But his love did not on that account wax cool, and so in his misery
he had recourse to their mutual friend, Miss Twizzle. "The truth is
this," said Miss Twizzle, "I believe she'd take him, because he's
respectable and got a business."

"He's horribly vulgar," said Robinson.

"Oh, bother!" said Miss Twizzle. "I know nothing about that. He's got
a business, and whoever marries Brisket won't have to look for a bed
to sleep on. But there's a hitch about the money."

Then Mr. Robinson learned the facts. Mrs. McCockerell, as she was
still called, had promised to give her daughter five hundred pounds
as her marriage portion, but Mr. Brisket would not go to the altar
till he got the money. "He wanted to extend himself," he said, "and
would not marry till he saw his way." Hence had arisen that delay
which Maryanne had solaced by her attendance at the music-hall.

"But if you're in earnest," said Miss Twizzle, "don't you be down on
your luck. Go to old Brown, and make friends with him. He'll stand up
for you, because he knows his wife favours Brisket."

George Robinson did go to Mr. Brown, and on the father the young
man's eloquence was not thrown away. "She shall be yours, Mr.
Robinson," he said, after the first fortnight. "But we must be very
careful with Mrs. B."

After the second fortnight Mrs. B. was no more! And in this way it
came to pass that George Robinson was present as Mr. Brown's adviser
when that scheme respecting the haberdashery was first set on foot.

CHAPTER IV.

NINE TIMES NINE IS EIGHTY-ONE. SHOWING HOW BROWN, JONES, AND ROBINSON
SELECTED THEIR HOUSE OF BUSINESS.

And haberdashery it was. But there was much yet to be done before any
terms for a partnership could be settled. Mr. Jones at first insisted
that he and his father-in-law should begin business on equal terms.
He considered that any questions as to the actual right in the
property would be mean after their mutual ag