far the most suitable
for my purpose. In the first place it was fairly cheap-forty pounds, or
fifty with taxes. The front looked well. It had no garden. It stood with
the well-to-do quarter upon the one side, and the poorer upon the other.
Finally, it was almost at the intersection of four roads, one of which
was a main artery of the town. Altogether, if I had ordered a house for
my purpose I could hardly have got anything better, and I was thrilled
with apprehension lest some one should get before me to the agent. I
hurried round and burst into the office with a precipitancy which rather
startled the demure clerk inside.

His replies, however, were reassuring. The house was still to let. It
was not quite the quarter yet, but I could enter into possession. I must
sign an agreement to take it for one year, and it was usual to pay a
quarter's rent in advance.

I don't know whether I turned colour a little.

"In advance!" I said, as carelessly as I could.

"It is usual."

"Or references?"

"Well, that depends, of couse{sic}, upon the references."

"Not that it matters much," said I. (Heaven forgive me!) "Still, if it
is the same to the firm, I may as well pay by the quarter, as I shall do
afterwards."

"What names did you propose to give?" he asked.

My heart gave a bound, for I knew that all was right. My uncle, as
you know, won his knighthood in the Artillery, and though I have seen
nothing of him, I knew that he was the man to pull me out of this tight
corner.

"There's my uncle, Sir Alexander Munro, Lismore House, Dublin," said
I. "He would be happy to answer any inquiry, and so would my friend Dr.
Cullingworth of Bradfield."

I brought him down with both barrels. I could see it by his eyes and the
curve of his back.

"I have no doubt that that will be quite satisfactory," said he.
"Perhaps you would kindly sign the agreement."

I did so, and drew my hind foot across the Rubicon. The die was cast.
Come what might, 1 Oakley Villas was on my hand for a twelve-month.

"Would you like the key now?"

I nearly snatched it out of his hands. Then away I ran to take
possession of my property. Never shall I forget my feelings, my dear
Bertie, when the key clicked in the lock, and the door flew open. It was
my own house--all my very own! I shut the door again, the noise of the
street died down, and I had, in that empty, dust-strewn hall, such a
sense of soothing privacy as had never come to me before. In all