e and there
(according to my best idea of story-telling), and particularly where he
makes the speech:--And with the usual fault of being too long, here and
there, I think you let the story out too much--prematurely--and this I
hope to prevent artfully. I think your title open to the same objection,
and therefore propose to substitute:

THE DISAPPEARANCE
OF JOHN ACLAND.

This will leave the reader in doubt whether he really _was_ murdered,
until the end.

I am sorry you do not pursue the other prose series. You can do a great
deal more than you think for, with whatever you touch; and you know
where to find a firmly attached and admiring friend always ready to take
the field with you, and always proud to see your plume among the
feathers in the Staff.

Your account of my dear Boffin[105] is highly charming:--I had been
troubled with a misgiving that he was good. May his shadow never be more
correct!

I wish I could have you at the murder from "Oliver Twist."

I am always, my dear Robert Lytton,
Affectionately your friend.

* * * * *

Pray give my kindest regards to Fascination Fledgeby, who (I have no
doubt) has by this time half-a-dozen new names, feebly expressive of his
great merits.

[Sidenote: The same.]

OFFICE OF "ALL THE YEAR ROUND,"
26, WELLINGTON STREET, STRAND, LONDON,
_Friday, 1st October, 1869._

MY DEAR ROBERT LYTTON,

I am assured by a correspondent that "John Acland" has been done before.
Said correspondent has evidently read the story--and is almost confident
in "Chambers's Journal." This is very unfortunate, but of course cannot
be helped. There is always a possibility of such a malignant conjunction
of stars when the story is a true one.

In the case of a good story--as this is--liable for years to be told at
table--as this was--there is nothing wonderful in such a mischance. Let
us shuffle the cards, as Sancho says, and begin again.

You will of course understand that I do not tell you this by way of
complaint. Indeed, I should not have mentioned it at all, but as an
explanation to you of my reason for winding the story up (which I have
done to-day) as expeditiously as possible. You might otherwise have
thought me, on reading it as published, a little