h. Johnny found out all about that
Serjeant Runter, who was distantly connected, indeed, with the late
husband of Lady Demolines, but had always persistently declined to
have any intercourse whatever with her ladyship. For the serjeant was
a rising man, and Lady Demolines was not exactly progressing in the
world. Johnny heard nothing from the serjeant; but from Madalina he
got letter after letter. In the first she asked him not to think
too much of the little joke that had occurred. In her second, she
described the vehemence of her love. In her third the bitterness
of her wrath. Her fourth simply invited him to come and dine
in Porchester Terrace. Her fifth was the outpouring of injured
innocence. And then came letters from an attorney. Johnny answered
not a word to any of them, and gradually the letters were
discontinued. Within six months of the receipt of the last, he was
delighted by reading among the marriages in the newspapers a notice
that Peter Bangles, Esq, of the firm Burton and Bangles, wine
merchants, of Hook Court, had been united to Madalina, daughter of
the late Sir Confucius Demolines, at the church of Peter the Martyr.
"Most appropriate," said Johnny, as he read the notice to Conway
Dalrymple, who was then back from his wedding tour; "for most
assuredly there will now be another Peter the Martyr."

"I'm not so sure of that," said Conway, who had heard something of Mr
Peter Bangles. "There are men who have strong wills of their own, and
strong hands of their own."

"Poor Madalina!" said Johnny. "If he does beat her, I hope he will do
it tenderly. It may be that a little bit of it will suit her fevered
temperament."

Before the summer was over Conway Dalrymple had been married to
Clara Van Siever, and by a singular arrangement of circumstances
had married her with the full approval of old Mrs. Van. Mr
Musselboro,--whose name I hope has not been altogether forgotten,
though the part played by him has been subordinate,--had opposed
Dalrymple in the efforts made by the artist to get something out of
Broughton's estate for the benefit of the widow. From circumstances
of which Dalrymple learned the particulars with the aid of an
attorney, it seemed to him that certain facts were wilfully kept in
the dark by Musselboro, and he went with his complaint to Mrs. Van
Siever, declaring that he would bring the whole affair into court,
unless all the workings of the firm were made clear to him. Mrs. Van
was very i