tes for popular favor figured in their
places.

Such were some of the changes I could mark, even as I sat. But my
attention was speedily drawn from them by a circumstance more nearly
concerning myself. This was the appearance in the coffee-room of the
gentleman who first addressed me in the street.

As he passed round the room, followed by a person whose inferiority was
evident, he was recognized by most of those present, many of whom shook
him warmly by the hand, and pressed him to join their parties. But this
he declined, as he continued to walk slowly on, scrutinizing each face
as he went. At last I saw his eyes turn towards me. It was scarcely a
glance, so rapid was it, and so quickly were his looks directed to a
different quarter; but I could mark that he whispered something to a
person who followed, and then, after carelessly turning over a newspaper
on the table, sauntered from the room. As he did so, the shaggy head of
the dwarf newsvendor peeped in, and the great black eyes took a survey
of the coffee-room, till finally they settled on me.

"Ah!" cried the fellow, with a strange blending of irony and compassion
in his voice; "be gorra, I knew how it would be,--the major has ye!" At
this a general laugh broke out from all present, and every eye was fixed
on me.

Meanwhile the follower had taken his place nearly opposite me at the
table, and was busily engaged examining a paper which he had taken from
his pocket.

"May I ask, sir, if your name be Burke?" said he, in a low voice, across
the table.

I started with amazement to hear my name pronounced where I believed
myself so completely a stranger, and in my astonishment, forgot to
answer.

"I was asking, sir--" repeated he.

"Yes, you are quite correct," interrupted I; "that is my name. May I beg
to know, in return, for what purpose you make the inquiry?"

"Thomas Burke, sir?" continued he, inattentive to my observation, and
apparently about to write the name on the paper before him.

I nodded, and he wrote down the words.

"That saves a deal of trouble to all of us, sir," said he, as he
finished writing. "This is a warrant for your arrest; but the major is
quite satisfied if you can give bail for your appearance."

"Arrest!" repeated I; "on what charge am I arrested?"

"You'll hear in the morning, I suppose," said he, quietly. "What shall
we say about the bail? Have you any acquaintance or friend in town?"

"Neither; I am a perfect stranger her