d I think the bill you
have indorsed to Sparkle will be paid." Comforted by this assurance,
Axminster, fearfully changed from the nervous, but smug, hopeful man of
the morning, departed. It now remained for me to exert what skill I
possessed, to bring about the desired result. I lost no time in writing a
letter to the Honorable Miss Snape, of which the following is a copy:--

"Madam,--A bill, purporting to be drawn by you, has been offered to me
for discount. There is something wrong about it; and, though a stranger
to you, I advise you to lose no time in getting it back into your own
hands.--D.D."

I intended to deal with the affair quietly, and without any view to
profit. The fact is, that I was sorry--you may laugh--but I really was
sorry to think that a young girl might have given way to temptation under
pressure of pecuniary difficulties. If it had been a man's case, I doubt
whether I should have interfered. By the return of post, a lady's maid
entered my room, profusely decorated with ringlets, lace, and perfumed
with patchouli. She brought a letter from her mistress. It ran thus:--

"Sir,--I cannot sufficiently express my thanks for your kindness in
writing to me on the subject of the bills, of which I had also heard a
few hours previously. As a perfect stranger to you, I cannot estimate
your kind consideration at too high a value. I trust the matter will be
explained; but I should much like to see you. If you would be kind
enough to write a note as soon as you receive this, I will order it to
be sent to me at once to Tyburn Square. I will wait on you at any hour
on Friday you may appoint. I believe that I am not mistaken in supposing
that you transact business for my friend, Sir John Markham, and you will
therefore know the inclosed to be his handwriting. Again thanking you
most gratefully, allow me to remain your much and deeply obliged,
JULIANA SNAPE."

This note was written upon delicate French paper embossed with a coat of
arms. It was in a fancy envelope--the whole richly perfumed, and
redolent of rank and fashion. Its contents were an implied confession of
forgery. Silence, or three lines of indignation, would have been the
only innocent answer to my letter. But Miss Snape thanked me. She let me
know, by implication that she was on intimate terms with a name good on
a West-End bill. My answer was, that I should be alone on the following
afternoon at five.

At the hour fixed, punctual to a moment, a br