id the major, "I have ordered your dinners, allow
me to settle your bill. Now, Mr Wallace, suppose we take off
_one-third_?"

"_One-third_, Major Carbonnell! I should be a loser."

"I am not exactly of your opinion; but let me see--now take your choice.
Take off 20 pounds, or you lose my patronage, and that of all my
friends. Yes or no?"

The landlord, with some expostulation, at last consented, he receipted
the bill, and leaving 20 pounds of the money on the salver, made his
bow, and retired.

"Rather fortunate that I slipped in, my dear Newland; now there are 20
pounds saved. By-the-by, I'm short of cash. You've no objection to let
me have this? I shall never pay you, you know."

"I do know you _never_ will pay me, major; nevertheless, as I should
have paid it to the landlord had you not interfered, I will lend it to
you."

"You are a good fellow, Newland," said the major, pocketing the money.
"If I had borrowed it, and you had thought you would have had it repaid,
I should not have thanked you; but as you lend it me with your eyes
open, it is nothing more than a very delicate manner of obliging me, and
I tell you candidly, that I will not forget it. So you really are off
to-morrow?"

"Yes," replied I, "I must go; for I find that I am not to make ducks and
drakes of my money, until I come into possession of my property."

"I see, my dear fellow. Executors are the very devil; they have no
feeling. Never mind; there's a way of getting to windward of them. I
dine with Harcourt, and he has come to ask you to join us."

"With pleasure."

"I shall expect you at seven, Newland," said Harcourt, as he quitted the
room with the major.

"Dear me, sir, how could you let that gentleman walk off with your
money?" cried Timothy. "I was just rubbing my hands with the idea that
we were 20 pounds better off than we thought, and away it went, like
smoke."

"And will never come back again, Tim; but never mind that, it is
important that I make a friend of him, and his friendship is only to be
bought. I shall have value received. And now, Tim, we must pack up,
for I leave this to-morrow morning. I shall go down to--, and see
little Fleta."

I dined with Harcourt. The major was rather curious to know what it was
which appeared to flurry Lord Windermear, and what had passed between
us. I told him that his lordship was displeased on money matters, but
that all was right, only that I must be more careful for t