ard to Squercum, 'is to get some fellow like
Vossner, and make him tell us how much he wants to steal above his
regular pay. Then we could subscribe that among us. I really think
that might be done. Squercum would find a fellow, no doubt.' But Mr
Lupton was of opinion that the new Vossner might perhaps not know,
when thus consulted, the extent of his own cupidity.

One day, before the Whitstable marriage, when it was understood that
the club would actually be closed on the 12th August unless some new
heaven-inspired idea might be forthcoming for its salvation,
Nidderdale, Grasslough, and Dolly were hanging about the hall and the
steps, and drinking sherry and bitters preparatory to dinner, when Sir
Felix Carbury came round the neighbouring corner and, in a creeping,
hesitating fashion, entered the hall door. He had nearly recovered
from his wounds, though he still wore a bit of court plaster on his
upper lip, and had not yet learned to look or to speak as though he
had not had two of his front teeth knocked out. He had heard little or
nothing of what had been done at the Beargarden since Vossner's
defection, It was now a month since he had been seen at the club. His
thrashing had been the wonder of perhaps half nine days, but latterly
his existence had been almost forgotten. Now, with difficulty, he had
summoned courage to go down to his old haunt, so completely had he
been cowed by the latter circumstances of his life; but he had
determined that he would pluck up his courage, and talk to his old
associates as though no evil thing had befallen him. He had still
money enough to pay for his dinner and to begin a small rubber of
whist. If fortune should go against him he might glide into I.O.U.'s,--
as others had done before, so much to his cost. 'By George, here's
Carbury!' said Dolly. Lord Grasslough whistled, turned his back, and
walked upstairs; but Nidderdale and Dolly consented to have their
hands shaken by the stranger.

'Thought you were out of town,' said Nidderdale, 'Haven't seen you for
the last ever so long.'

'I have been out of town,' said Felix,--lying; 'down in Suffolk. But
I'm back now. How are things going on here?'

'They're not going at all;--they're gone,' said Dolly. 'Everything is
smashed,' said Nidderdale.

'We shall all have to pay, I don't know how much.'

'Wasn't Vossner ever caught?' asked the baronet.

'Caught!' ejaculated Dolly. 'No;--but he has caught us. I don't know
that there has