hout delay. Well, he
went; but as soon as the manager had read the note he started violently,
and said in a manner of the utmost concern: `I exceedingly regret, sir,
to appear inhospitable or inconsiderate, but I find it my painful duty
to ask you to leave my hotel within an hour.' The clerk protested,
questioned, raged, and stormed, but all in vain. The manager refused
even to refer to the letter; he simply insisted that he could entertain
him no longer in the hotel, and added darkly: `It would be well for the
Senor to take the first train out of Spain.'

"Alarmed by this mysterious warning, the unhappy youth accordingly shook
off the dust from his feet and returned to London, where he confided his
woes to his beloved and generous employer. The employer was a Spanish
merchant and understood the language, so he naturally offered to solve
the mystery. No sooner, however, had his eye scanned the brief lines,
than a cloud shadowed _his_ expressive countenance, and he addressed
himself to the youth more in sorrow than in anger. `It grieves me to
the heart, Mr--er--_Bumpas_,' he said, `to sever our connection after
your faithful service to the firm; but, after the perusal of this note,
I have unfortunately no choice. If you will apply to the cashier he
will hand you a cheque equal to six months' salary; but I must ask you
to understand that when you leave my office this morning it is for the
last time!'"

A rustle of excitement from the audience, a momentary glimpse of Dan's
face in the flickering light, testified to the interest of this
extraordinary history.

Darsie bent forward to encourage her fir-cone with a pat from the poker,
and continued dramatically--

"Bewildered, broken-hearted, almost demented, the unfortunate youth
betook him to an uncle in America (all uncles seem to live in America),
who received him with consideration, listened to his sad tale, and bade
him be of good cheer. `By a strange coincidence' (coincidence again!)
said the worthy man, `there sups with me to-night a learned professor of
languages, resident at our local college. He, without doubt, will make
plain the mysterious contents of the fatal note!' Punctual to his hour
the professor arrived, and the harassed youth hailed with joy the end of
his long suspense. Whatever might be the purport of the words written
in that fatal paper, the knowledge thereof could not be worse than the
fate which had dogged his footsteps ever since that