, that unhappy man has said his last words."

He opened the door--stopped--considered--and come back to me.

"With regard to that matter of sending the agent to America," he
resumed--"I propose to have the honor of submitting to you a brief
abstract--"

"Oh, Mr. Playmore!"

"A brief abstract in writing, Mrs. Eustace, of the estimated expenses of
the whole proceeding. You will be good enough maturely to consider the
same, making any remarks on it, tending to economy, which may suggest
themselves to your mind at the time. And you will further oblige me, if
you approve of the abstract, by yourself filling in the blank space on
your check with the needful amount in words and figures. No, madam! I
really cannot justify it to my conscience to carry about my person
any such loose and reckless document as a blank check. There's a total
disregard of the first claims of prudence and economy implied in this
small slip of paper which is nothing less than a flat contradiction of
the principles that have governed my whole life. I can't submit to flat
contradiction. Good-morning, Mrs. Eustace--good-morning."

He laid my check on the table with a low bow, and left me. Among the
curious developments of human stupidity which occasionally present
themselves to view, surely the least excusable is the stupidity which,
to this day, persists in wondering why the Scotch succeed so well in
life!

CHAPTER XLII. MORE SURPRISES.

The same evening I received my "abstract" by the hands of a clerk.

It was an intensely characteristic document. My expenses were
remorselessly calculated downward to shillings and even to pence; and
our unfortunate messenger's instructions in respect to his expenditure
were reduced to a nicety which must have made his life in America
nothing less than a burden to him. In mercy to the man, I took the
liberty, when I wrote back to Mr. Playmore, of slightly increasing the
indicated amount of the figures which were to appear on the check. I
ought to have better known the correspondent whom I had to deal with.
Mr. Playmore's reply (informing me that our emissary had started on his
voyage) returned a receipt in due form, and the whole of the surplus
money, to the last farthing!

A few hurried lines accompanied the "abstract," and stated the result of
the lawyer's visit to Miserrimus Dexter.

There was no change for the better--there was no change at all. Mr.
Dexter, the brother, had arrived at the house accompa