t the wedding."

"Well, he'll do that for you, surely," said Pratt, quietly. "Go down,
Dick. I've promised Humphrey to go. I said I would directly he asked."

Pratt looked very solemn over it; but there was tremendous exultation in
his heart as he thought of seeing Pin, for the family had left Russell
Square directly after the unpleasant eclaircissement.

"He'll come, Humphrey. There, I'll promise for him, and so you may make
your mind happy."

"But just say you will, Master Dick," said Humphrey, rising.

"Well, I will, Humphrey," said Richard, holding out his hand, though he
repented the next moment, as his successor took his leave.

"Seen Mrs Vanleigh lately?" said Pratt, as soon as they were alone.

"Poor woman! no, not for two days. I must call."

"Van's behaving very well now that it's too late. There's a regular
allowance for her at his army agents. I didn't believe a man could have
changed so as he did. It was that fever did it, coming upon the shock.
Poor wretch! I never saw a man so stricken down as he was at the poor
girl's funeral."

He caught Richard's eye.

"There, what a blundering ass I am, Dick, old man. It's my trade to
rout out all sorts of old sores. But, mum, I won't say any more. How's
our friend the cabby?"

"Oh, quite well!"

"And Madame?"

"Excellently well. They say that perhaps Mrs Vanleigh is coming to
stay with them again; but I don't think it would be wise for the poor
woman to do so."

"Quite right," said Pratt. "Well, I must be off and work. I've got an
Indian case on--Jeefee Rustam versus Tomkins, and two or three more
things to get out of the way before I go down to Cornwall. By the way,
I met our languid friend, Flick, at the dub yesterday."

"Well?"

"He cut me, sir. Looked bayonets, lance-points, and sabres at me.
Heigho! Well, we can't all win. Ta-ta."

"Good-bye."

"Cornwall, mind."

Richard nodded, and he was left alone, to make up his mind a dozen times
that he could not go down to the old place without a great sacrifice of
dignity, and as often something seemed to whisper him that he must go;
and to that faint whisper he lent an attentive ear, for the desire grew
so strong at last that he found himself unable to resist.

Volume 3, Chapter XVIII.

A FELLOW-TRAVELLER.

"Don't mind telling you now," said Frank Pratt, sitting back in the
railway carriage, with his hands under his head, and great puffs of
smoke issuing from between his