e former with an offhand, swaggering assumption
of politeness.

"Your servant, Mr Huntingdon," he said. Whose ever _servant_ he might
be, at that moment he was clearly the _slave_ of strong drink.

Amos bowed.

"I hope you find your sister well, Mr Huntingdon," he added; "it is
very kind of you to visit us in our humble dwelling."

The other replied that he did not find his sister looking as well as he
had hoped, but trusted that she might soon be better.

"The better for my absence, I suppose you mean," said his brother-in-law
sneeringly.

Amos made no reply.

"Well, sir," continued the wretched stroller, whose swaggering manner
was evidently merely assumed, "every man's house is his castle, and
therefore mine must be so too. I haven't much to offer you in the way
of welcome just now, but, before we part, I should like a word in
private with you.--Is the other room occupied?" he asked of his wife.

"No; Mrs Allison has put it at my service this morning."

"Then, Mr Huntingdon, will you be so good as to follow me?" Saying
which, he led the way to the other parlour, and, when they had entered,
locked the door, to the surprise and not particular satisfaction of
Amos, who gave just one glance at the little window, and thought he saw
two eyes peeping through the little holes.

"Pray be seated," said the player.

Amos accepted the invitation and sat.

"You have brought some money, I understand, from my father-in-law for
his daughter," began Mr Vivian abruptly.

"I have," said the other, after his questioner had waited a minute or so
for a reply.

"Would you have the goodness to hand it to me?" continued the player.

"I brought it," replied Amos, "for my sister's own private use and
benefit, and cannot therefore give it to you."

"Ah, indeed!" said the other sarcastically; "but you know, sir, that a
wife's goods belong to her husband, who, as I think the Bible has it, is
the head of the wife, so that what is hers is his, and indeed his more
than hers."

"Perhaps so, under ordinary circumstances," replied Amos; "but this is a
free gift from a father to a daughter, and I am sure no kind or
reasonable husband would wish to deprive her of it."

"Deprive, sir? No,--deprive is not the word. Husband and wife are one,
you know: the wife is the weaker vessel, and the husband the stronger;
and it is only right and natural that the stronger should have the
money, that he may use it for the benefit of the weak