t, "Let Cruden have it!" How jolly, as he snatched it up and
rushed, cleaving his way to the enemy's goal, to hear that roar behind
him, "Run indeed, sir!"

"Back him up!"

"Well played!" Yes, he heard them still, like music; and as he watched
the shifting fortunes of this game he felt the blood course through his
veins with a strange, familiar ardour.

Ah, here came the ball out of the scrimmage straight towards him! Oh,
the thrill of such a moment! Who does not know it? A second more and
he would have it--

Alas! poor Reginald awoke as suddenly as he had dreamed. A hideous
paling stood between him and the ball. He was not in the game at all.
Nothing but a lonely, friendless drudge, whom nobody wanted, nobody
cared about.

With a glistening in his eyes which he would have scornfully protested
was not a tear, he turned away and walked moodily back to Shy Street,
caring little if it were to be the last walk he should ever take.

He was not, however, to be allowed much time for indulging his gloomy
reflections on reaching his journey's end. A person was waiting outside
the office, pacing up and down the pavement to keep himself warm. The
stranger took a good look at Reginald as he entered and let himself in,
and then followed up the stairs and presented himself.

"Is Mr Reginald at home?" inquired he blandly.

Reginald noticed that he was a middle-aged person, dressed in a sort of
very shabby clerical costume, awkward in his manner, but not
unintelligent in face.

"That is my name," replied he.

"Thank you. I am glad to see you, Mr Reginald. You were kind enough
to send me a communication not long ago about--well, about a suit of
clothes."

His evident hesitation to mention anything that would call attention to
his own well-worn garb made Reginald feel quite sorry for him.

"Oh yes," said he, taking good care not to look at his visitor's toilet,
"we sent a good many of the circulars to clergymen."

"Very considerate," said the visitor. "I was away from home and have
only just received it."

And he took the circular out of his pocket, and seating himself on a
chair began to peruse it.

Presently he looked up and said,--

"Are there any left?"

"Any of the suits? Oh yes, I expect so. We had a large number."

"Could I--can you show me one?"

"Unfortunately I haven't got them here; they are all in London."

"How unfortunate! I did so want to get one."

Then he perused the paper again