nd he
thought that it would be well to use Lord Hampstead's acknowledged
good-nature for recovering the ground which he had lost with his
brother clerk.

* * * * * *

At about three o'clock that afternoon, when Lady Frances was
beginning to think that the time of her brother's arrival was near
at hand, the servant came into the drawing-room, and told her that
a gentleman had called, and was desirous of seeing her. "What
gentleman?" asked Lady Frances. "Has he sent his name?"

"No, my lady; but he says,--he says that he is a clerk from the Post
Office." Lady Frances was at the moment so dismayed that she did not
know what answer to give. There could be but one Post Office clerk
who should be anxious to see her, and she had felt from the tone of
the servant's voice that he had known that it was her lover who had
called. Everybody knew that the Post Office clerk was her lover. Some
immediate answer was necessary. She quite understood the pledge that
her brother had made on her behalf; and, though she had not herself
made any actual promise, she felt that she was bound not to receive
George Roden. But yet she could not bring herself to turn him away
from the door, and so to let the servant suppose that she was ashamed
to see him to whom she had given the promise of her hand. "You had
better show the gentleman in," she said at last, with a voice that
almost trembled. A moment afterwards the door was opened, and Mr.
Crocker entered the room!

She had endeavoured in the minute which had been allowed her to study
the manner in which she should receive her lover. As she heard the
approaching footsteps, she prepared herself. She had just risen from
her seat, nearly risen, when the strange man appeared. It has to be
acknowledged that she was grievously disappointed, although she had
told herself that Roden ought not to have come to her. What woman is
there will not forgive her lover for coming, even though he certainly
should not have come? What woman is there will fail to receive a
stranger with hard looks when a stranger shall appear to her instead
of an expected lover? "Sir?" she said, standing as he walked up the
room and made a low bow to her as he took his position before her.

Crocker was dressed up to the eyes, and wore yellow kid gloves. "Lady
Frances," he said, "I am Mr. Crocker, Mr. Samuel Crocker, of the
General Post Office. You may not perhaps have heard of me from my
friend,