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as if j'^oii were a liimdred miles off. He'll ask no questions ; and would accept you as a tenant, at a word from me — before the clock strikes, if you. chose. And I'll tell you another thing, Jobling," says ]Ir. Guppy, who has suddenly lowered his voice, and become familiar again, " he's an extraorclinary old chap — always rummaging among a litter of papers, and gi'ubbing away at teaching himself to read and write ; without getting on a bit, as it seems to me. He is a most extra ordinaiy old chap, sir. I don't know but what it might be worth a fellow's while to look him up a bit." " You don't mean~ ? " Mr. Jobling begins. " I mean," returns Mr. Guppy, shrugging his shoulders with becoming modesty, " that / can't make him out. I appeal to our mutual friend Smallweed, whether he has or has not heard me remark, that I can't make him out." Mr. Smallweed bears the concise testimony, " A few ! " "I have seen something of the profession, and something of life, Tony," says Mr. Guppy, " and it's seldom I can't make a man out, more or less. But such an old card as this ; so deep, so sly, and secret (though I don't believe he is ever sober) ; I never came across. Now, he must be precious old, you know, and he has not a soid. about him, and he is reported to be immensely rich; and whether he is a smuggler, or a receiver, or an unlicensed pawnbroker, or a money-lender — all of which I have thought likely at difterent times — it might pay you to knock up a sort of knowledge of him. I don't see why you shouldn't go in for it, Avhen everything else siuts." Mr. Jobling, ]Mr. Guppy, and IMr. Smallweed, all lean their elbows on the table, and their chins upon their hands, and look at the ceiling. After a time, they all diink, slowly lean back, put their hands in their pockets, and look at one another. " If I had the energy I once possessed, Tony ! " says ]Ir. Guppy, with a sio-h. "But there are chords in the human mind " ... Expressing the remainder of the desolate sentunent m rum and water, Ml*. Guppy concludes by resigning the adventure to Tony Jobling, and informing him that, during the vacation and while things are slack, his purse, " as far as three or four or even five pound goes," "wiU be at his disposal. " For never shall it be said," Mr. Guppy adds ^^dth emphasis, "that WiUiam Guppy turned his back upon his friend ! " The latter part of the proposal is so directly to the piu-pose, that Mr. Jobling says with emotion, " Guppy, my trump, yoiu' fist ! " ]Mr. Guppy presents it, saying, " Jobling, my boy, there it is ! " 'My. Jobling returns. " Guppy, we have been pals now for some years ! " ]Ir. Guppy replies, " Jobling, we have." They then shake hands, and ]Ir. Jobling adds in a feeling manner, " Thank you, Guppy, I don't know but Avhat I will take another glass, for old acquaintance sake." " Kj'ook's last lodger died there," observes Mr. Guppy, in an incidental way. " Did he though ! " says ]Ir. Jobling. " There was a verdict. Accidental death. Ton don't mind that ? " " No," says Mr. Jobling, " I don't mind it ; but he might as well have died somewhere else. It's devilish odd that he need go and die at 7/11/ place ! " ;Mi'. Jobling quite resents this liberty ; several times retm-ning