worthy Thomas that, after remaining
in the room till he had exhausted every conceivable pretext for so
doing, he boldly inquired whether "I did not feel myself ill, no how?"
adding his hope, that "I had not been a-exhaling laughing gas, or
any sich rumbustical wegitable?" after which he favoured me with an
anecdote of "a young man as he know'd, as had done so, wot conducted
hisself more like a hideotic fool than a sanatory Christian, ever
after". Perceiving at length that his attentions were rapidly
reducing me to the same state of mind as that of his friend, he very
considerately left me.

After half an hour of anxious expectation, in the course of which I must
have walked at least a mile or two over Dr. Mildman's parlour carpet,
Oaklands and Lawless returned together. I instantly called the former
aside, and told him I wished to speak to him alone, as I had something
of importance to communicate. To this he replied that it was very near
dinner-time; but that, if I would come up to his room, I could talk
to him while he dressed. As soon as we were safely closeted together I
began my relation, but scarcely had I got beyond "You asked me to go to
the billiard-rooms, you know "--when a hasty footstep was heard upon the
stairs; some one knocked at the door, and immediately a voice, which I
knew to be that of Cumberland, asked to be let in, "as he had something
particular to say".

"The plot thickens," said Oaklands, as, without rising from his seat, he
stretched out an immense length of arm, and opened the door.

"Hear what I have to say first," cried I; but it was too late, and
Cumberland entered, breathless, and with his usually sallow complexion
flushed with exercise and excitement.

"The most unfortunate thing"--he began; and stopping to draw breath, he
added, "I have run all the way from the post-office, as hard as my
legs would carry me--but I was going to tell you--as I went down, I met
Curtis of the --th, who told me their band was going to play in Park
Square, and asked me to go with him to hear it; and I'm ~87~~afraid
that, as I stood in the crowd, my pocket must have been picked, for when
I got to the post-office I found that my letter, my pocket handkerchief,
and I am sorry to say your letter also, had disappeared--so, remembering
you had told me your letter was of importance, I thought the best thing
I could do was to come home as fast as I could, and tell you."

"By Jove," exclaimed Oaklands, "that's ra