s Court, to yourself?"

"None at all, sir," said Paul, hastily; "she's only a friend!"

Upon this there was a laugh in the court.

"Silence!" cried the justice. "And I dare say, Mr. Paul Lobkins,
that this friend of yours will vouch for the respectability of your
character, upon which you are pleased to value yourself?"

"I have not a doubt of it, sir," answered Paul; and there was another
laugh.

"And is there any other equally weighty and praiseworthy friend of yours
who will do you the like kindness?"

Paul hesitated; and at that moment, to the surprise of the court,
but above all to the utter and astounding surprise of himself, two
gentlemen, dressed in the height of the fashion, pushed forward, and
bowing to the justice, declared themselves ready to vouch for the
thorough respectability and unimpeachable character of Mr. Paul Lobkins,
whom they had known, they said, for many years, and for whom they had
the greatest respect. While Paul was surveying the persons of these kind
friends, whom he never remembered to have seen before in the course
of his life, the lawyer, who was a very sharp fellow, whispered to
the magistrate; and that dignitary nodding as in assent, and eying the
new-comers, inquired the names of Mr. Lobkins's witnesses.

"Mr. Eustace Fitzherbert" and "Mr. William Howard Russell," were the
several replies.

Names so aristocratic produced a general sensation. But the impenetrable
justice, calling the same Mr. Saunders he had addressed before, asked
him to examine well the countenances of Mr. Lobkins's friends.

As the alguazil eyed the features of the memorable Don Raphael and
the illustrious Manuel Morales, when the former of those accomplished
personages thought it convenient to assume the travelling dignity of an
Italian prince, son of the sovereign of the valleys which lie between
Switzerland, the Milanese, and Savoy, while the latter was contented
with being servant to Monseigneur le Prince; even so, with far more
earnestness than respect; did Mr. Saunders eye the features of those
high-born gentlemen, Messrs. Eustace Fitzherbert and William Howard
Russell; but after a long survey he withdrew his eyes, made an
unsatisfactory and unrecognizing gesture to the magistrate, and said,--

"Please your worship, they are none of my flock; but Bill Troutling
knows more of this sort of genteel chaps than I does."

"Bid Bill Troutling appear!" was the laconic order.

At that name a certain modes