salary to depend on."

"Then the sooner you get it taken up, and the less you have to do with
Miss Snape's bill affairs, the better."

"She has always been punctual hitherto."

"That may be." I pointed to the cross-writing on the document, and said
deliberately--"_This_ bill is a forgery!"

At these words the poor man turned pale. He snatched up the document;
and, with many incoherent protestations, was rushing toward the door,
when I called to him, in an authoritative tone, to stop. He paused. His
manner indicating not only doubt, but fear. I said to him, "Don't flurry
yourself; I only want to serve you. You tell me that you are a married
man with children, dependent on daily labor for daily bread; and that
you have done a little discounting for Miss Snape out of your earnings.
Now, although I am a bill discounter, I don't like to see such men
victimized. Look at the body of this bill: look at the signature of your
lady customer, the drawer. Don't you detect the same fine, thin,
sharp-pointed handwriting in the words, 'Accepted, Dymmock Munge.'" The
man, convinced against his will, was at first overcome. When he
recovered, he raved: he would expose the Honorable Miss Snape, if it
cost him his bread: he would go at once to the police office. I stopped
him, by saying roughly, "Don't be a fool. Any such steps would seal your
ruin. Take my advice; return the bill to the lady, saying simply that
you cannot get it discounted. Leave the rest to me, and I think the bill
you have endorsed to Sparkle will be paid." Comforted by this assurance,
Axminster, fearfully changed from the nervous, but smug hopeful man of
the morning, departed. It now remained for me to exert what skill I own,
to bring about the desired result. I lost no time in writing a letter to
the Honorable Miss Snape, of which the following is a copy:

"Madam: A bill, purporting to be drawn by you, has been offered
to me for discount. There is something wrong about it; and,
though a stranger to you, I advise you to lose no time in
getting it back into your own hands.--D. D."

I intended to deal with the affair quietly, and without any view to
profit. The fact is, that I was sorry--you may laugh--but I really _was_
sorry to think that a young girl might have given way to temptation
under pressure of pecuniary difficulties. If it had been a man's case, I
doubt whether I should have interfered. By the return of post, a lady's
maid entered my