o much about poor dear Fred, and
every one being hard on him, and his feeling my good influence--and
all the time he was plotting this against me, with my chalk in his
hand marking my grass,' and she broke down in child-like sobs.

The mortification was terrible of finding her pinnacle of fame the
mere delusion of a sharper, and the shock of shame seemed to
overwhelm the poor girl.

'Oh, Admiral!' cried her mother, 'she cannot bear it. I know you
will be good, and manage it so as to distress her as little as
possible, and not have any publicity.'

'1 will do my best,' said the Admiral. 'I will try and get a
confession out of him, and send him off, though it is a pity that
such a fellow should get off scot-free.'

'Oh, never mind, so that my poor Arthurine's name is not brought
forward! We can never be grateful enough for your kindness.'

It was so late that the Admiral did not come back that night, and
the ladies were at breakfast when he appeared again. Foxholm had,
on finding there was no escape, confessed the fraud, but threw most
of the blame on Fred Mytton, who was in debt, not only to him but to
others. Foxholm himself seemed to have been an adventurer, who
preyed on young men at the billiard-table, and had there been in
some collusion with Fred, though the Admiral had little doubt as to
which was the greater villain. He had been introduced to the Mytton
family, who were not particular; indeed, Mr. Mytton had no objection
to increasing his pocket-money by a little wary, profitable betting
and gambling on his own account. However, the associates had no
doubt brought Bonchamp to the point of being too hot to hold them,
and Fred, overhearing the arrangement with Mrs. Rudden, had
communicated it to him--whence the autograph trick. Foxholm was
gone, and in the course of the day it was known that young Mytton
was also gone.

The Admiral promised that none of his family should mention the
matter, and that he would do his best to silence Mrs. Rudden, who
for that matter probably believed the whole letter to have been
forged, and would not enter into the enthusiasm of autographs.

'Oh, thank you! It is so kind,' said the mother; and Arthurine, who
looked as if she had not slept all night, and was ready to burst
into tears on the least provocation, murmured something to the same
effect, which the Admiral answered, half hearing--

'Never mind, my dear, you will be wiser another time; young people
will be