for Grasslough, or an 'N' for Nidderdale, or a wonderful
hieroglyphic which was known at the Beargarden to mean D. L.,--or Dolly
Longestaffe, the fabricator of which was not present on the occasion.

Then there was the M.G. of Miles Grendall, which was a species of
paper peculiarly plentiful and very unattractive on these commercial
occasions. Paul Montague hitherto had never given an I.O.U. at the
Beargarden,--nor of late had our friend Sir Felix. On the present
occasion Montague won, though not heavily. Sir Felix lost continually,
and was almost the only loser. But Mr Fisker won nearly all that was
lost. He was to start for Liverpool by train at 8.30 a.m., and at 6
a.m., he counted up his bits of paper and found himself the winner of
about L600. 'I think that most of them came from you, Sir Felix,' he
said,--handing the bundle across the table.

'I dare say they did, but they are all good against these other
fellows.' Then Fisker, with most perfect good humour, extracted one
from the mass which indicated Dolly Longestaffe's indebtedness to the
amount of L50. 'That's Longestaffe,' said Felix, 'and I'll change that
of course.' Then out of his pocket-book he extracted other minute
documents bearing that M.G. which was so little esteemed among them,--
and so made up the sum. 'You seem to have L150 from Grasslough, L145
from Nidderdale, and L322 10s from Grendall,' said the baronet. Then
Sir Felix got up as though he had paid his score. Fisker, with smiling
good humour, arranged the little bits of paper before him and looked
round upon the company.

'This won't do, you know,' said Nidderdale. 'Mr Fisker must have his
money before he leaves. You've got it, Carbury.'

'Of course he has,' said Grasslough.

'As it happens, I have not,' said Sir Felix,--'but what if I had?'

'Mr Fisker starts for New York immediately,' said Lord Nidderdale. 'I
suppose we can muster L600 among us. Ring the bell for Vossner. I
think Carbury ought to pay the money as he lost it, and we didn't
expect to have our I.O.U.'s brought up in this way.'

'Lord Nidderdale,' said Sir Felix, 'I have already said that I have
not got the money about me. Why should I have it more than you,
especially as I knew I had I.O.U.'s more than sufficient to meet
anything I could lose when I sat down?'

'Mr Fisker must have his money at any rate,' said Lord Nidderdale,
ringing the bell again.

'It doesn't matter one straw, my lord,' said the American. 'Let it be