discovering who and what was her suitor."

"I feel for you," said Tomlinson, "but give me and Pepper at least
permission to shift for ourselves; trust to my known prudence for
finding some method to raise the wind without creating a dust; in other
words (this cursed Pepper makes one so vulgar!), of preying on the
public without being discovered."

"I see no alternative," answered Clifford, reluctantly; "but if
possible, be quiet for the present. Bear with me for a few days longer,
give me only sufficient time once more to see Miss Brandon, and I will
engage to extricate you from your difficulties!"

"Spoken like yourself, frankly and nobly," replied Tomlinson; "no one
has a greater confidence in your genius, once exerted, than I have!"

So saying, the pair shook hands and parted. Tomlinson rejoined Mr.
Pepper.

"Well, have you settled anything?" quoth the latter.

"Not exactly; and though Lovett has promised to exert himself in a few
days, yet, as the poor man is in love, and his genius under a cloud, I
have little faith in his promises."

"And I have none!" said Pepper; "besides, time presses! A few days!--a
few devils! We are certainly scented here, and I walk about like a
barrel of beer at Christmas, under hourly apprehension of being tapped!"

"It is very strange," said the philosophic Augustus; "but I think there
is an instinct in tradesmen by which they can tell a rogue at first
sight; and I can get (dress I ever so well) no more credit with my
laundress than my friends the Whigs can with the people."

"In short, then," said Ned, "we must recur at once to the road; and on
the day after to-morrow there will be an excellent opportunity. The
old earl with the hard name gives a breakfast, or feast, or some such
mummery. I understand people will stay till after nightfall; let us
watch our opportunity, we are famously mounted, and some carriage later
than the general string may furnish us with all our hearts can desire!"

"Bravo!" cried Tomlinson, shaking Mr. Pepper heartily by the hand; "I
give you joy of your ingenuity, and you may trust to me to make our
peace afterwards with Lovett. Any enterprise that seems to him gallant
he is always willing enough to forgive; and as he never practises
any other branch of the profession than that of the road (for which I
confess that I think him foolish), he will be more ready to look
over our exploits in that line than in any other more subtle but less
heroic."

"Wel