osperity, and Hankes
waxed fat and indolent, affected gorgeous waistcoats and chains, and
imperceptibly sank down to the level of those decorative arts we have
just alluded to.

The change was curious: it was as though Gerard or Gordon Cumming should
have given up lion-hunting and taken to teach piping bullfinches!

Every venture of Davenport Dunn was prosperous. All his argosies were
borne on favoring winds, and Hankes saw his great defensive armor hung
up to rust and to rot. Driven in some measure, therefore, to cut out his
path in life, he invented that grand and gorgeous school of enterprise
whose rashness and splendor crush into insignificance all the puny
attempts of commonplace speculators. He only talked millions; thousands
he ignored. He would accept of no names on the direction of his schemes
save the very highest in rank. If he crossed the Channel, his haste
required a special steamer. If he went by rail, a special train awaited
him. The ordinary world, moving along at its tortoise pace, was shocked
at the meteor course that every now and then shot across the hemisphere,
and felt humiliated in their own hearts by the comparison.

Four smoking posters, harnessed to the neatest and lightest of
travelling-carriages, had just deposited Mr. Hankes at the Hermitage;
and he now sat in Mr. Dunn's dressing-room, arranging papers and
assorting documents in preparation for his arrival.

It was easy to perceive that as Dunn entered the room he was very far
from feeling pleased at his lieutenant's presence there.

"What was there so very pressing, Mr. Hankes," said he, "that could not
have awaited my return to town?"

"A stormy meeting of the Lough Allen Tin Company yesterday, sir,--a
very stormy meeting indeed. Shares down to twenty-seven and an
eighth,--unfavorable report on the ore, and a rumor--mere rumor, of
course--that the last dividend was paid out of capital."

"Who says this?" asked Dunn, angrily.

"The 'True Blue,' sir, hinted as much in the evening edition, and the
suggestion was at once caught up by the Tory Press."

"Macken--isn't that the man's name--edits the 'True Blue'?"

"Yes, sir; Michael Macken."

"What answer shall I give him, then?" asked Hankes.

"Tell him--explain to him that the exigencies of party--No, that won't
do. Send down Harte to conduct his election, let him be returned for
the borough, and tell Joe Harte to take care to provide a case that will
unseat him on a petition; bef