a poor creature to be tolerated rather than blamed.

"Did you ever hear, Horner," said I, "how Peabody made his first
fortune?"

"No, 'pon honah, I asshaw you, no."

"Well, then, I'll tell you, Horner," said I. "It was by minding his own
business, my dear fellow."

"Bai-ey Je-ove!" he ejaculated, adding, after a pause, "Weally, Lorton,
you dawn't mean it?"

"I suppose," I continued, "that you are also just as ignorant again how
Mr Peabody made his second and greater fortune, eh?"

"Yaas," he drawled out.

"Ah," said I, "he got _that_ by letting other people's business alone!"

"Bai-ey Je-ove!" said Horner, quite staggered at this second blow.
"Vewy amusing anecdote, indeed! Thank you, Lorton. Much obwiged, and
all that sawt of thing, for the in-fawmation. Yaas, bai-ey Je-ove! And
so I'll say good day. Good day, Lorton; good day to you!" and he
started off, with a quick step, in the very opposite direction to that
which he had been previously going. I went on homeward, with Catch
following obediently at my heels.

Which way did we go?

Can you not guess, or must I have to tell you?

How very obtuse some persons are!

Why, by The Terrace, of course. Was it not there that Min lived; and
might I not chance to get a glance from her love-speaking, soft grey
eyes? Only one glance--and I would be amply repaid!

I passed by her house. Yes, there she was at the window, attending to
her flowers and carefully shielding a much-prized little maidenhair fern
with a bell glass from the rays of the sun, which beamed as though
Phoebus had mistaken the season and thought it a summer day.

She saw me as I sauntered by, recognising me with a little nod and smile
and a sudden heightening of colour; and came to the door. Of course I
went up the steps and spoke to her. _You_ would have proceeded on your
way with a passing bow? Oh, yes!

"Good morning, Mr Lorton," she said. "How very early you are out to be
sure! I thought gentlemen were always lazy, but you're an exception to
the rule, it seems;" and her soft grey eyes sparkled.

"Well, I don't know that, Miss Clyde," I said. "I suppose I'm just as
lazy as the rest. I only came out to give my old doggy a walk and a
dip, as I generally do every morning before breakfast. If it were not
for him, I do not believe I would get up sooner than anybody else; but
he's such a pertinacious fellow that he won't be denied his walk, always
rousing me up at eight o'clock