hile to continue.

"Now," I thought to myself, "it's ten to one that Eliza finds me out,
and if she does, she'll probably make herself unpleasant." However, I
determined not to trouble myself about it. If it came to that, I
flattered myself that I could make myself as unpleasant as most people
when any occasion arose.

* * * * *

It was hours before Eliza returned. She burst into the room and said,
"They're both better, and the baby's a beauty, and I'm to go back
to-morrow afternoon."

"Indeed!" I said. "I don't know that you're not going a little too far
with these people."

"Do you think so? I've found you out. You didn't tell me, but Pagram
did. You lent him three pounds this morning. We can't afford that."

"Well, well," I said; "I've managed to get some overtime work, to begin
next week. That--that'll come out all right. You ought to leave these
business matters to me. Anyhow, it's no good finding fault, and----"

"Does Pagram generally return what's lent?"

I lost my temper and said that I didn't care a damn! And then--just
then--I saw that she was not really displeased about it.

"Why," she said, "you silly! I'm glad you did it. The poor things were
at their wits' end, and had got--they'd got nothing! You've saved them,
and I never have liked anything you've done half as much as this."

Here Eliza burst into tears--which is really very unusual with her.

PROMOTION

How true it is, as one of our English poets has remarked, that it is
always darkest before the silver lining!

While this little work was actually in the hands of the printers, an
incident occurred of such great and far-reaching importance that I
cannot refrain from making it the subject of an additional paper. I can
give it in one word--promotion.

It came at a time when I was suffering from great depression and
considerable irritation, as I have already indicated in my opening
remark. It was on a Wednesday morning, and those who know me know that
invariably on Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday I put on a clean shirt. The
number may seem excessive, and perhaps out of proportion to my income,
but I own without shame that I am careful as to my personal appearance.
I must also add that I am very particularly careful--and, I think,
rightly--on the question of the airing of linen.

All I said was that I should put on that shirt, whether Eliza liked it
or not, and that it would probably give me