hed that the work was done and over.

"How is poor Mr. Smith to-day?" asked Miss Dunstable, with an air of
mock condolence, as her friend seated herself in her accustomed easy
chair. The downfall of the gods was as yet a history hardly three
days old, and it might well be supposed that the late lord of the
Petty Bag had hardly recovered from his misfortune. "Well, he is
better, I think, this morning; at least I should judge so from the
manner in which he confronted his eggs. But still I don't like the
way he handles the carving-knife. I am sure he is always thinking of
Mr. Supplehouse at those moments."

"Poor man! I mean Supplehouse. After all, why shouldn't he follow his
trade as well as another? Live and let live, that's what I say."

"Aye, but it's kill and let kill with him. That is what Horace says.
However, I am tired of all that now, and I came here to-day to talk
about something else."

"I rather like Mr. Supplehouse myself," exclaimed Miss Dunstable. "He
never makes any bones about the matter. He has a certain work to do,
and a certain cause to serve--namely, his own; and in order to do
that work, and serve that cause, he uses such weapons as God has
placed in his hands."

"That's what the wild beasts do."

"And where will you find men honester than they? The tiger tears you
up because he is hungry and wants to eat you. That's what Supplehouse
does. But there are so many among us tearing up one another without
any excuse of hunger. The mere pleasure of destroying is reason
enough."

"Well, my dear, my mission to you to-day is certainly not one of
destruction, as you will admit when you hear it. It is one, rather,
very absolutely of salvation. I have come to make love to you."

"Then the salvation, I suppose, is not for myself," said Miss
Dunstable. It was quite clear to Mrs. Harold Smith that Miss
Dunstable had immediately understood the whole purport of this visit,
and that she was not in any great measure surprised. It did not seem
from the tone of the heiress's voice, or from the serious look which
at once settled on her face, that she would be prepared to give a
very ready compliance. But then great objects can only be won with
great efforts.

"That's as may be," said Mrs. Harold Smith. "For you and another
also, I hope. But I trust, at any rate, that I may not offend you?"

"Oh, laws, no; nothing of that kind ever offends me now."

"Well, I suppose you're used to it."

"Like the eels, my d