ivert himself. The dull season had set in;
there was little doing, in affairs, commerce, politics, or literature;
and direct efforts at killing time always result in making time go more
heavily than ever. Mr. Desmond's attempt was like a curious _pas seul_,
executed by a nimble actor in a certain extravaganza, the peculiarity of
which is that at every forward step the dancer slides farther and
farther backward, until finally an unseen power appears to drag him back
into the flies.

It was during one of our afternoon drives, when Mr. Desmond usurped the
office of his coachman, that he confided to us a plan which he had
devised to cure his _ennui_.

"I have made up my mind," he said, "to go abroad for a good long tour.
It will be the best move I could possibly make."

"I don't doubt it," I said. "How soon do you propose to go?" And Bessie
sighed, "O dear, how delightful!"

"My plans are not matured," Mr. Desmond continued, "but I think I shall
sail early next month. My favorite steamer leaves on the 6th."

"I hope you will enjoy a pleasant voyage, and a delightful trip on the
other side," said Mrs. Pinkerton politely.

Mr. Desmond returned thanks. Nothing more was said that day concerning
his project. When he left us at the cottage, he remarked,--

"By the way, Mr. Travers, I wish you would call at my office to-morrow
morning at or about eleven o'clock, if you can make it convenient to do
so."

"I will do so," I replied, wondering what he could want of me.

At the appointed hour the next day I was on hand at his office. He
motioned to me to be seated and then said,--

"Yesterday morning I met John K. Blunt, of Blunt Brothers & Company, at
my club, and he told me that their cashier had defaulted. An account of
the affair is in this morning's papers. They want a new cashier. I have
mentioned your name, and if you will go around to their office with me,
we will talk with Blunt."

"Mr. Desmond--" I began, but he stopped me.

"Don't let's have any talk but business," he said. "The figures will be
satisfactory, I am confident."

Satisfactory! They were munificent! Blunt liked me, and only a few short
and sharp sentences from such a man as Desmond finished the business. I
saw a future of opulence before me. My head was almost turned. I tried
to thank Mr. Desmond, but he would not listen to my earnest expressions
of gratitude.

"I have engaged passage for the 6th," he told me when we were parting;
"I will try to