Chapter X.

Ah ! and he was doomed to virgin those kisses for long after that blissful night . 'T would have been bliss to have died then , but after satisfying his soul with kisses , to live without them was misery , misery in the memory of past happiness . Long might they taste their bliss , for it was their last :

Ten kisses short as one , one long as twenty . But it could , not last for ever ; he was obliged to leave those " kissing cherries , " and with " sweet sorrow " part from his idol , his charming fiancee Carlo whined ominously , but all else went well . He hacl said his last " Good night . " Happyhappy be their dreams of myrtle and orange blossomof the temple

, , of Hymen ancl the nuptial knot , of bridesmaids ancl the golden honeymoon , of Strephon ancl Chloe , Darby and Joan ; even if to awake to the painful sorrow that they were only dreams unfulfilled , a vanished pageant . Meanwhile , Mr . Phane hacl been troubled and uneasy about something which he had not even mentioned to his wife . He looked upon Humberton with distrust ! the betrothed of his daughter ! his future son-in-law ! Why ?

Why should he lose confidence in the open-hearted , generous Humberton , who had been so long tried and trusted ? None could tell , nor , indeed , did any know save one ( perchance two ) , and that one Bulliker ! Iago-lfke , he hacl never forgiven Humberton for his supposed wrongs , for his slights and honesty , and for his success . That galled him most . He had vowed revenge ; secret , malicious , unscrupulous , revenge ! " The upstart , " as he called him , " pretentious young devil , presuming , canting saint , he ' s getting dangerous : but I'll be even with him yet . I have my plans : I'll tempt him and ruin him . But , in stage language , I must dissemble .

I have it , it is engender'd . Hell and night Must bring this monstrous birth to light . " For some time this virtuous cashier , this man of figures , this trusted man in office , had poisoned the ear of his master , Mr . Phane , with grave doubts and suspicions connected with the unfortunate Humberton . At first Mr . Phane would not listen to nor believe them ; but at lastdriven to desperation b y the

, vile insinuations of his cashier ( an honest man , as he believed ) , he agreed to try Arthur ' s honesty by certain means devised by Mr . Bulliker . What if he was right ? How should he like his daughter to be married to a thief ? He would try it for satisfaction ' s sake , though he hardly required it . Still , it was right to be on the safe side , disagreeable as distrust of a supposed worthy servant might be . But he would stake his lifealmostHumberton was honest .

, , Time , however , would show . Bulliker had so thoroughly imbued his trustful master with the idea that his clerk was dishonest that he put his whole faith in the proposed test of this man-devil , though he could hardl y bear to think of it . A man of passionate impulse however , and worked upon by these distorted views of a villain ; but arouse his fears of lodging a viper ancl his anger would drown his sense ;

circumstantial suspicion would be proof positive . That night ( the night after Olivia had named the happy day ) Bulliker , slimy reptile , left by accident , for the third time , a hundred pounds in notes on his own desk , and Humberton alone ancl busy in the office . Ha ! how he chuckled to himself , and rubbed his hands for g lee as he thought of the consummation of his vile plansthe climax of his revenge ! Would it succeed ?

, Humberton must see it some ni ght , and then all his plans were clear . Two other nights he had tried it , but Arthur hacl not perceived the notes , ancl Bulliker had been obliged to come back after Humberton had left , and make the money secure , Oh , how keenly the wretch watched his quarry ! How his fingers itched for his defeat !