thing happened shortly afterwards, when my wife pawned
some plated oddments belonging to our landlady. This episode kept me
on the rack for a full week. Replacing the stolen articles was,
fortunately, not difficult; but the landlady was. She was bent upon
prosecution, and our escape was an excruciatingly narrow one. I had a
four days' 'holiday' over this episode, during which my editor was
allowed to picture me in cheerful recuperation up-river--one of a
merry boating party.

After this I made inquiries about trained nurses, and gathered that
they were quite beyond my means; not alone in the matter of the scale
of remuneration they required, but, even more markedly, in the scale
of household comfort which their employment necessitated. I talked the
matter over very seriously with Fanny, and begged her to try the
effect of three months in a curative institution of which I had
obtained particulars. At first she was very bitter and angry in her
refusal to discuss this. Then she wept, sobbed, and became hysterical
in imploring me never to think of such a thing for her. But the
extremely difficult and harrowing escape from police court proceedings
had impressed me very deeply.

As soon as we could get together the bare necessities by way of
furnishings, I insisted on our moving into unfurnished rooms in which
we could cater for ourselves. But the result was not merely that there
was never a meal prepared for me, but also that Fanny never had a
proper meal. I engaged servants. They either gave notice after a week,
or worse, much worse, my wife made boon companions of them. We moved
again, this time into unfurnished rooms in a house whose landlady
undertook to serve meals to us at stated hours. But the house was too
respectable for us, and in a month we were given notice.

No, it was not easy to develop any very warm interest in Mr.
Arncliffe's projects for the stimulation of the _Advocate's_
circulation. But I occupied Dr. Powell's old room during most days,
and did my best; and, rather to my surprise, when I quite casually
said I was not able to afford some luxury or another--lawn tennis, I
believe it was, recommended by my chief as a remedy for my fagged and
unhealthy appearance--I was given an increase of salary to the extent
of an additional fifty pounds a year. I expressed my thanks, and
Arncliffe said:

'Not at all, not at all. I'm only too glad. Your work's first rate,
and I much appreciate your suggestions. I do