th you to-night, for I have just come from tea."

"Oh! I remember you said you had friends in town."

"Yes; I have some cousins of an indefinite degree. They live on this
street, and they will make it pleasant for me. But they know very little
about the college, and I ventured to call to ask your advice about this
matter of a special course. Would you try for a degree?"

Mr. Buckingham had nothing to do with the college; he was not even a
graduate of this particular one; but he dearly loved to give advice. He
took down the college catalogue, and talked with great animation for
some time to his young friend, who confided to him that his ambition was
to be an author, and that he had already written several sketches of
character.

"Excellent," said Buckingham to himself. "You shall be my hero; only you
will write short poems. Then nobody will detect your likeness."

Wilding stayed an hour, and then made ready to leave.

"If you are going to take the car, you are just in time," said his host,
as they shook hands by the door of his room.

"I am going first to my cousin's," said the young man.

"Oh, are you? Wait a moment. I should like a little airing. I will walk
along with you." And Buckingham, with a sudden admiration for his prompt
seizure of the hour, put on his hat and coat.

IV.

THE PLAY MYSTERY.

Two young women were sitting over their worsted-work in the house
numbered 17 Grove Street.

"Twenty-five, twenty-six," said the elder. "Lillie, if I were you, I
would always carry one of his books with me in the horse-car, prepared
to open and read it whenever he chanced to hang by the straps over me.
He would be sure to try to read it upside down, and--"

"Nonsense, Julia! you speak exactly as if I were running after him."

"Not running, my dear, but waiting for him. Confess it; don't you make
up stories about this Mr. Buckingham? don't you call him Austin all by
yourself?"

"Julia, you are shameless! I have a great mind to roll up my work and go
up-stairs."

"Oh, no, Lillie. Stay here; for Henry will surely be back soon, and we
shall learn exactly how the lion looked in his den. What a singularly
good piece of fortune it was that Henry should have met you both!"

"Julia! you don't suppose that cousin of yours has been telling! You
don't suppose he has mentioned me to Mr. Buckingham!"

"It is impossible to say. You get two men talking together, and you may
be sure they forget all their promises of