cely to be
accounted for, unless Whelpdale's abstemiousness had for once given way
before convivial invitation. The young man's hat was on the back of his
head, and his coat flew wildly as he rushed forwards with perspiring
face and glaring eyes. He would have passed without observing Jasper,
had not the latter called to him; then he turned round, laughed
insanely, grasped his acquaintance by the wrists, and drew him aside
into a court.

'What do you think?' he panted. 'What do you think has happened?'

'Not what one would suppose, I hope. You seem to have gone mad.'

'I've got Lake's place on Chit-Chat!' cried the other hoarsely. 'Two
hundred and fifty a year! Lake and the editor quarrelled--pummelled each
other--neither know nor care what it was about. My fortune's made!'

'You're a modest man,' remarked Jasper, smiling.

'Certainly I am. I have always admitted it. But remember that there's
my connection with Fleet as well; no need to give that up. Presently I
shall be making a clear six hundred, my dear sir!

A clear six hundred, if a penny!'

'Satisfactory, so far.'

'But you must remember that I'm not a big gun, like you! Why, my dear
Milvain, a year ago I should have thought an income of two hundred a
glorious competence. I don't aim at such things as are fit for you. You
won't be content till you have thousands; of course I know that. But I'm
a humble fellow. Yet no; by Jingo, I'm not! In one way I'm not--I must
confess it.'

'In what instance are you arrogant?'

'I can't tell you--not yet; this is neither time nor place. I say,
when will you dine with me? I shall give a dinner to half a dozen of my
acquaintances somewhere or other. Poor old Biffen must come. When can
you dine?'

'Give me a week's notice, and I'll fit it in.'

That dinner came duly off. On the day that followed, Jasper and Dora
left town for their holiday; they went to the Channel Islands, and spent
more than half of the three weeks they had allowed themselves in Sark.
Passing over from Guernsey to that island, they were amused to see a
copy of Chit-Chat in the hands of an obese and well-dressed man.

'Is he one of the quarter-educated?' asked Dora, laughing.

'Not in Whelpdale's sense of the word. But, strictly speaking, no doubt
he is. The quarter-educated constitute a very large class indeed; how
large, the huge success of that paper is demonstrating. I'll write to
Whelpdale, and let him know that his benefaction has extended