every kind of public amusement, filled the time. A huge grand piano was bought, and she played more than ever; still time hung heavily on her hands, and she hated the red velvet and gilt of their grand apartments as fully as she had ever done the dingy room at Inchicore.

"I flatter myself," continued he, "that my get-up is perfect; but I must soon think of laying it aside again. I shall have to return to London in a week at the latest."

"Have you thought of what excuse to offer for your disappearance?" she asked.

"Oh dear, yes," he chuckled; "that won't take long. I am sending to-night a notice to be inserted in the Beacon. They are to believe in London that I was in Naples negotiating about the new Sicilian railway with the Government. What do you say to go to Naples, since you do not care to remain here? If we go there to-morrow, I may have time to place you in a villa of your own. amuse yourself during my absence. better not send to the Beacon after all: no use blowing on the affair too much. I see Prince D'Istria's villa at Baia is advertised.

You can

I had

We'll

look at it together; and I will get all my pictures and things packed and forwarded." Then he looked at his watch. "Now, Adelaide, we dine at six at the Rocher de Cancale: let us be moving."

She rose and took his arm, and they walked along the alley towards the gate, on the way to the railway station.

"How long do you expect to have to remain ?" asked she.

"In Naples, do you mean? A day or two, at the most, is all I can stay-to my sorrow!" And he looked into her eyes with an expression of sorrowful anxiety thoroughly real.

"And you will return?"

"Need you ask, dear one? I will not delay an hour-no, not one that I can help."

As they reached the gare a crowd of people were passing out from a train just arrived,Deputies, clerks, business men, scarcely one that did not bestow a passing tribute of admiration on the beautiful woman beside him. Saltasche drew himself up, delighted beyond measure; he appropriated every glance from the black eyes of the Parisians. Two men,

e of them dressed and got up like a jeune

premier, cast admiring looks into the carriage where Saltasche and his companion had taken their seats.

"Est-elle belle, est-elle jeune. Ciel! quelle mise!" said one, rolling his eyes in the vain hope of attracting her attention.

"Le vieux c'est le père; il la ressemble,hein?" returned the jeune premier.

Adelaide threw herself back in the cushions of her seat, and pulling the folds of her skirts close to her, relapsed into a moody silence until they reached Paris.

CHAPTER X.

"Ich muss dich nun vor allen Dingen
Zu lustige Gesellschaft bringen,

Damit du siehst, wie leicht sich's leben lässt.
Dem Wölke hier wird jeder Tag ein Fest:
Mit wenig Witz und viel Betragen
Dreht jeder sich im engen Zirkeltanz
Wie junge Katzen mit dem Schwanz ;
Wenn sie nicht über Kopfweh klagen,
So lang der Wirth nur weiter borgt,

Sind sie vergnügt und unbesorgt."-Faust.

CAPTAIN ERIC POIGNARDE, formerly of the 2nd Dragoon Guards, formerly of the -th Regiment, and now of the -th Line, with a detachment of which he was enjoying, in Her Majesty's ship Ramchunder, the amenities of the Bay of Biscay on his way to India, was by no means the only person whom the Derby "event" had affected injuriously.

Mr. Gagan's rooms were the scene of a melancholy committee-meeting on the afternoon of the fatal day.

Mr. Gagan, looking remarkably anxious and

ill-at-ease, occupied the window-seat. Tad Griffiths sat astride of one of the three wooden chairs-his arms folded on the back rail and his head resting disconsolately on them. Orpen, whose impassive countenance preserved its equable expression under all circumstances, was sitting at the head of the ink-besmeared table; beside him Dicky, his eyes fixed on the open page of a memorandumbook, in mournful silence. Mr. Wylding, who had been admitted to the subscribers' fund on the last occasion, was smoking by the fireside, with his boots resting on the top bar of the grate.

"A blessed go, I call it, and no mistake!" spoke Gagan: "two pounds gone in a crack like that."

"Two ?-ten pounds!" roared Tad; "and what on earth's to become of me? I've pawned my Sunday coat, and every blessed book."

"You're easily managed, you noisy beggar!" returned the gentleman by the fireside. "Look at me: I have Charlie's togs and my own in the bank, and a whole load of the governor's law-books (he's on circuit), and my mother's Injun shawl. Oh Lord! what'll I do at all, at all ?”