to his inconvenience, though he was too joyous not to
be doubly good-natured, especially as he pitied her, and regarded her
as a very perplexing charge newly laid on him.

He had time to tell Mary that he was to sleep at the Consul's, whence
he had sent a note and a messenger to fetch Tom Madison, since it
appeared that the prosecution, the rumour of which had frightened the
poor fellow away, had not been actually set on foot before he decamped;
and even if it had been, there were many under worse imputations at
large in the Peruvian Republic.

Fitzjocelyn had appointed that Robson should call on him early in the
morning, and, if he failed to detect him, intended to confront him with
Madison before the Consul, when there could be little doubt that his
guilt would be brought home to him. He found that the Consul and Mr.
Ward had both conceived a bad opinion of Robson, and had wondered at
the amount of confidence reposed in him; whereas Madison had been
remarked as a young man of more than average intelligence and
steadiness, entirely free from that vice of gambling which was the bane
of all classes in Spanish South America. Mary sighed as she heard
Louis speak so innocently of 'all classes'--it was too true, as he
would find to his cost, when he came to look into their affairs, and
learn what Rosita had squandered. Next, he asked about the other
clerk, Ford, of whom Mary knew very little, except that she had heard
Robson mention to her father, when preparing to set out for Guayaquil,
that in the consequent press of business he had engaged a new
assistant, who had come from Rio as servant to a traveller. She had
sometimes heard Robson speak in praise of his acquisition, and exalt
him above Madison; and once or twice she had seen him, and fancied him
like some one whom she had known somewhere, but she had for many months
seldom left her father's room, and knew little of what passed beyond it.

Louis took his leave early, as he had to examine his prize, the
pocket-book, and make up his case before confronting Robson; and he
told Mary that he should refrain from seeing her on the morrow until
the 'tug of war should be over.' 'Mr. Ward promises to come to help
me,' he added. 'Really, Mary, I never saw a more generous or
considerate person. I am constantly on the point of begging his
pardon.'

'I must thank him some way or other,' said Mary; 'his forbearance has
been beautiful. I only wish he would have believed m