here of its operations, trusting to a
proportionate increase in the annual subscriptions to defray the
additional expenses of the new movement. The question was not now
brought forward for the first time. It had been agitated eight years
previously, and the settlement of it had been at that time deferred to a
future opportunity. The revival of the project, as usual in such cases,
split the working members of the society into two parties; one party
cautiously objecting to run any risks, the other hopefully declaring
that the venture was a safe one, and that success was sure to attend it.
Mr. Carling sided enthusiastically with the members who espoused this
latter side of the question, and the object of his pamphlet was to
address the subscribers to the society on the subject, and so to
interest them in it as to win their charitable support, on a larger
scale than usual, to the new project.

He had worked hard at his pamphlet, and had got more than half way
through it, when he found himself brought to a stand-still for want of
certain facts which had been produced on the discussion of the question
eight years since, and which were necessary to the full and fair
statement of his case.

At first he thought of writing to the secretary of the society for
information; but, remembering that he had not held his office more than
two years, he had thought it little likely that this gentleman would be
able to help him, and looked back to his own Diary of the period to see
if he had made any notes in it relating to the original discussion
of the affair. He found a note referring in general terms only to the
matter in hand, but alluding at the end to a report in the _Times_ of
the proceedings of a deputation from the society which had waited on
a member of the government of that day, and to certain letters to
the editor which had followed the publication of the report. The note
described these letters as "very important," and Mr. Carling felt, as he
put his Diary away again, that the successful conclusion of his pamphlet
now depended on his being able to get access to the back numbers of the
_Times_ of eight years since.

It was winter time when he was thus stopped in his work, and the
prospect of a journey to London (the only place he knew of at which
files of the paper were to be found) did not present many attractions;
and yet he could see no other and easier means of effecting his object.
After considering for a little while a