the lady with the
unpronounceable name did not succeed in her amiable design of destroying
your swallowing powers for ever," returned I.

"Umph! I won't say No--there's nothing like serving out good rations
to your men before they go into action; I've seen campaigning enough to
know that."

"On the strength of which argument I shall cut you another slice of
ham," rejoined I, suiting the action to the word. At length even Mr.
Frampton's excellent appetite appeared exhausted, and he declared
himself ready to face old Vernor if he should prove as cantankerous as
a rhinoceros in hysterics; after which statement we proposed to start on
our expedition. During his visit to ~443~~ town on the previous day, Mr.
Frampton had purchased a very handsome light travelling carriage, which,
with post-horses, was now in waiting to convey us to Barstone. On
our way thither, my companion informed me of the particulars of his
interview with his legal adviser, and the powers with which he was
invested, and which were to be brought to bear upon Mr. Vernor, if, as
was to be expected, he should attempt to resist the claim. As the effect
of the information thus acquired will appear in the course of this
veritable history, I need say no more concerning the matter at present.
We then proceeded to lay down the plan of operations, which embraced an
innocent little stratagem for more effectually taking "the change"
out of Mr. Vernor, as Lawless would have termed it. It was agreed,
in pursuance of this scheme, that I should open the conversation, by
informing Clara's guardian that, owing to an unexpected change in my
fortunes, I was now in possession of means amply sufficient to maintain
a wife, and had therefore come to renew my suit for the hand of his
fair ward, merely introducing Mr. Frampton as a friend of mine, who was
prepared to furnish proof of the truth of my statement, if Mr. Vernor
were not satisfied with my bare assertion. According to the way in which
he should behave when this communication was made to him, were we
to regulate our after conduct. I now learned for the first time that
Frampton was not my benefactor's real name, but one which he had adopted
when he commenced his wanderings, and which he determined to retain on
learning, as he imagined he had done indisputably, that his family was
extinct. This accounted for the otherwise strange fact, that Mr. Vernor
should have remained in ignorance, up to the present period, of the
ex