k, she stared at the mysterious figures with rapt attention.

"Please, sir, 'ow much do it come to now?" she asked.

"It's eight and sevenpence, Tottie," replied the amiable banker, with a
smile.

"Thank you, sir," said Tottie, and hurried home in a species of heavenly
contemplation of the enormous sum she had accumulated.

When Solomon Flint returned home that night he found Miss Lillycrop
seated beside old Mrs Flint, shouting into her deafest ear. She
desisted when Solomon entered, and rose to greet him.

"I have come to see my niece, Mr Flint; do you expect her soon?"

The letter-carrier consulted his watch.

"It is past her time now, Miss Lillycrop; she can't be long. Pray, sit
down. You'll stay and 'ave a cup of tea with us? Now, don't say no.
We're just goin' to 'ave it, and my old 'ooman delights in company.--
There now, sit down, an' don't go splittin' your lungs on _that_ side of
her next time you chance to be alone with her. It's her deaf side. A
cannon would make no impression on that side, except you was to fire it
straight _into_ her ear.--I've got a message for you, Miss Lillycrop."

"A message for me?"

"Ay, from a beautiful angel with tumbled hair and jagged clothes named
Tottie Bones. Ain't it strange how coincidences happen in this life! I
goes an' speaks to Tottie, which I never did before. Tottie wants very
bad to send a message to Miss Lillycrop. I happens to know Miss
Lillycrop, an' takes the message, and on coming home finds Miss
Lillycrop here before me--and all on the same night--ain't it odd?"

"It is very odd, Mr Flint; and pray what was the message?"

The letter-carrier, having first excused himself for making arrangements
for the evening meal while he talked, hereupon related the circumstances
of his meeting with the child, and had only concluded when May Maylands
came in, looking a little fagged, but sunny and bright as usual.

Of course she added her persuasions to those of her landlord, and Miss
Lillycrop, being induced to stay to tea, was taken into May's private
boudoir to put off her bonnet.

While there the good lady inquired eagerly about her cousin's health and
work and companions; asked for her mother and brother, and chatted
pleasantly about her own work among the poor in the immediate
neighbourhood of her dwelling.

"By the way," said she, "that reminds me that I chanced to meet with
that tall, handsome friend of your brother's in very strange
circumstan