art of your plan, I don't know what to say."

"You never can think of carrying out such a mad scheme," remonstrated I;
"I thought, of course, you were only in jest."

"Can you propose anything better, eh?" asked Lawless.

"Why, I don't know," returned I, musing. "Suppose Freddy were to go and
tell his father of his attachment, and say that the receivership, with
a small share in the business, would enable him to support a wife
comfortably--how would that do?"

"No use," said Freddy; "as long as that aggravating drysalter, with his
two thousand per annum, is in the field, my father would consider it his
duty to say 'No'."

"Eh? yes, of course," rejoined Lawless, "fathers always do consider
their duty to be intensely unpleasant on all such occasions, and it's
a duty they never neglect either--I will say that for them. No! depend
upon it, mine is the only plan."

"Really, Frank, I don't see what else is to be done," urged Freddy; "the
danger from the drysalter is great and imminent, remember."

"Well, you and Lawless can settle it between you: you are a pair of
eccentric geniuses, and know how you like to manage your own affairs
better than a sober-minded man such as I am."

"I tell you what, Mr. Sober-minded-man, I mean to take you with me on my
expedition; I shall want somebody to pat me on the back--besides, your
proper, well-behaved manner will give an air of respectability to the
affair."

"Really you must--" began I.

"Really I won't," retorted Lawless; while Coleman, seizing me by the
arm, drew me on one side.

"Frank, without any joke, I think this freak of Law-less's may enable me
to get rid of my rival--this Mr. Lowe Brown--and I should take it as the
greatest kindness if you would go with him, and keep him in order; of
course I must not be seen at all in the matter myself."

~428~~ "Well, if you are really in earnest, and want me to go, I'll do
it," replied I; "though I don't see that I shall be of much use."

"Shall I write and put Lucy up to it, or not?" rejoined Coleman
meditatively.

"If you take my advice, you will not," replied I; "in fact, the success
of your scheme depends very much on keeping her in the dark as to
Lawless's not being a _bona fide_ offer. Either her simple woman's mind
would dislike the trickery of the thing altogether, or she would excite
suspicion by falling into the plot too readily. I would merely write her
a cheering note, telling her that you were likely to get an