After All.

swiftly lifted that g looms our horizon of hope . We must work , aud the time will come , " returned Arthur , trying to be cheerful , and failing in the attempt . " Bulliker will not say anything about you at the office , but shrouds the affair in mystery , and Phane seems very much cut up about it , " Redtaper said , by way of information . " Yesand he won't give me a chance of vindicating myself . It makes me

, miserable , " said Humberton , impatiently . " Well , an revoir , old fellow , we will help one another all we can . As for me , I shall try to intercept Violet from entering the nunnery as a dernier ressort , " exclaimed Redtaper , excitedly . "Good bye ! May you succeed . It is horrible to think of such a lovely creature shutting herself up out of sight to pine away with a lot of miserable ,

careworn , haggard maidens . Success !" " Adieu ! " murmured Redtaper , filled with emotion at this picture of convent life , and he walked rapidly from Humberfcon ' s lodgings . This mutual revelation had been beneficial to them both ; both felt stronger for their bond of sympathy . Humberton , almost despairing-, took a kind of melancholy courageand determined to do his best to work resignedlin spite

, y of all untoward circumstances , and see what time had in store for him . Many things seemed against him , and black indeed was his outlook . One thing he did not mention to Redtaper , and that was that he had received a letter from Olivia previously to the unfortunate loss of the money , and after their last happy meeting , jealously accusing him of flirting with Miss Cumberland . This was very distressing to himas it was far from true .

, However , such an idea had been suggested to her he could not imagine . This was another bitter ingredient in his cup of sorrow . What to do he hardl y knew . For the thieves he had advertised two hundred pounds reward , and could only wait the result and trust for something to turn up .

He strode back dismally from the street where the flickering- lights seemed to hold out no hope to him ; they were too feeble , they seemed to say , ever to catch a thief . Arthur flung himself into a chair to think and re-think over his situation—over the strange advent of the two masked men on that particular night—over the peculiar fact of Bulliker leaving out tho hundred pounds . Mrs . Chatwind asked him if he would have any supper , but his looks plainly

said " No . " So she left " that poor young man , who was so happy nobbut a clay ago ; and now he ' s hardly eaten anything all day , and seems as though he didn ' t know what to do . I'll be bound it ' s that nice young lad y again . They ' re queer creatures is gals nowadays ; but she mi ght go much further and fare worse , as they say . " So soliloquised the well-meaning Mrs . Chatwind as she went upstairs .

Arthur sat there trying to puzzle out the mystery for hours , but nothing came of it . Suddenly he jumped up with an involuntary exclamation . Bulliker had left the money there for a purpose ! There w as no doubt about it ; and he had put the very worst construction on the consequences . Devil incarnate ! Bulliker had , as it happened , been successful in blasting his best hopes , and would gloat over the eventfor he was ever his sworn . And those thieves

, enemy stopping him the same night ! How singular ! How unfortunate ! He could but wait , however , and see if time would unravel the mysterious secret . Anyway , he would live down the calumny ; but what would happen in the meantime to Olivia ? He dare not think of it . Would Merisslope once more become a favourite ? Banish the idea ! He must not prophesy his own fate .