er to your
serene highness for full an hour. This is Mr. Roland Cashel, Mr. Hoare,
who wishes to make your acquaintance."

The little man turned his quick gray eyes towards Cashel with a most
scrutinizing keenness; but, as suddenly withdrawing them, invited both
to enter.

"Be seated, gentlemen. Pardon the humble accommodation of this place.
Take a chair, Mr. Linton."

"We want tin, Mr. Hoare," said Linton, slapping his boot with his
cane,--"that most universal and vulgar want My friend here desires to
raise a sum without having recourse to his agent, and I believe no man
can aid in a little secret-service transaction like yourself."

"Is the sum a large one, sir?" said Hoare, addressing Cashel.

"I cannot tell you exactly," said Cashel, in some confusion at the
confession of his ignorance. "I fancy it must be close on ten or twelve
thousand pounds."

"More like twenty!" cried Linton, coolly. Then, turning to Hoare, he
went on: "My friend here is, happily for him, very little skilled in
affairs of this kind, and, as his security is about the best that can be
offered, he need not buy his experience very dearly. Now just tell us,
frankly, how, when, and on what terms he can have this money."

"Money is scarce just now, sir," said Hoare; "but as to securities, Mr.
Cashel's bills are quite sufficient. There is no necessity for any
legal expenses whatever. I need not say that the transaction shall be
perfectly secret: in fact, I'll keep the bills in my own hands till
due."

"There, that's the man I told you he was," cried Linton. "A Croesus
in generosity as in gold. I would I were your son, or your son-in-law,
Hoare."

"Too much honor, Mr. Linton," said the money-lender, whose slight flush
did not betoken a concurrence in his own words. "Now to business,"
continued he, addressing Cashel. "If you favor me with your name on four
bills for five thousand each, and the accompanying charges for interest,
discount, commission, and so on, I 'll engage that you have this money
within the week."

"Could it not be to-morrow? I should like greatly to have the whole off
my mind; and as I mean not to play again--"

"Pooh, pooh," said Linton, stopping an explanation he was by no means
pleased Hoare should hear; "time enough for resolutions, and time enough
for payment too. By the end of the week, Hoare, will do perfectly. You
can bring the bills with you to my quarters, say on Saturday morning,
and we 'll drive over to Mr. C