indeed, out of
the barrel which the gallant tailor had sent down to the "Bootjack," and
off which the party supped.

"What is it?" said Mr. Woolsey to his ally, Crump, as they sat together
after the retirement of the ladies. "She was dumb all night. She never
once laughed at the farce, nor cried at the tragedy, and you know she
laughs and cries uncommon. She only took half her negus, and not above a
quarter of her beer."

"No more she did!" replied Mr. Crump, very calmly. "I think it must
be the barber as has been captivating her: he dressed her hair for the
play."

"Hang him, I'll shoot him!" said Mr. Woolsey. "A fat foolish effeminate
beast like that marry Miss Morgiana? Never! I WILL shoot him. I'll
provoke him next Saturday--I'll tread on his toe--I'll pull his nose."

"No quarrelling at the 'Kidneys!'" answered Crump sternly; "there shall
be no quarrelling in that room as long as I'm in the chair!"

"Well, at any rate you'll stand my friend?"

"You know I will," answered the other. "You are honourable, and I like
you better than Eglantine. I trust you more than Eglantine, sir. You're
more of a man than Eglantine, though you ARE a tailor; and I wish with
all my heart you may get Morgiana. Mrs. C. goes the other way, I know:
but I tell you what, women will go their own ways, sir, and Morgy's
like her mother in this point, and depend upon it, Morgy will decide for
herself."

Mr. Woolsey presently went home, still persisting in his plan for the
assassination of Eglantine. Mr. Crump went to bed very quietly, and
snored through the night in his usual tone. Mr. Eglantine passed some
feverish moments of jealousy, for he had come down to the club in the
evening, and had heard that Morgiana was gone to the play with his
rival. And Miss Morgiana dreamed, of a man who was--must we say
it?--exceedingly like Captain Howard Walker. "Mrs. Captain So-and-so!"
thought she. "Oh, I do love a gentleman dearly!"

And about this time, too, Mr. Walker himself came rolling home from
the "Regent," hiccupping. "Such hair!--such eyebrows!--such eyes! like
b-b-billiard-balls, by Jove!"

CHAPTER II. IN WHICH MR. WALKER MAKES THREE ATTEMPTS TO ASCERTAIN THE
DWELLING OF MORGIANA.

The day after the dinner at the "Regent Club," Mr. Walker stepped over
to the shop of his friend the perfumer, where, as usual, the young man,
Mr. Mossrose, was established in the front premises.

For some reason or other, the Captain was particularl