wo of
you."

"I prefer devoting business hours to business," returned Guly.

"And paying for lost sales out of your own salary. Let me advise you, if
you are going to stay in this place, to let the customers find their
own blemishes, and take the responsibility."

"I shall always act according to my own judgment in such cases, Mr.
Quirk," replied Guly, taking his hat, and leaving the young gentleman to
pour out his advice to an unoccupied counter. Arthur had gone to dinner
before him; so Guly trudged on alone, and, on entering the restaurant,
found Wilkins seated at the little table, which the three so frequently
shared together, by himself.

"Where's Arthur?" inquired Guly, anxiously.

"He finished before me to-day, for a wonder," returned Wilkins, smiling,
"and went out some time since; you probably passed each other on
opposite sides of the way."

This last suggestion quite comforted Guly, whose apprehensions for his
brother had, of late, become most painfully awakened, and he fell off
into conversation with his companion, upon the various topics which
chanced to present themselves to their minds.

Suddenly Wilkins looked up, and remarked:--

"I have an engagement for you to-night, Guly."

"For me! what is it, pray?"

"Guess."

"Oh, I never can. You must tell me, if you ever expect me to know."

"What would you say, if I told you 'twas a visit to Blanche?"

"Can it be possible?"

Guly blushed very deeply, which Wilkins observed, and commented upon
with mischievous delight.

"Did the invitation come from her own lips, Wilkins?"

"To be sure it did."

"And you accepted in my name?"

"Certainly."

"Thank you! I shall be delighted."

"At eight o'clock, then."

"Very well."

And so they parted, and Guly was left alone at the little table.

It was an hour when the restaurant was pretty well filled, and the
numerous inmates busily discussed the news, foreign and political, and
affairs private and public, in their various languages and different
manners. Guly looked round from his solitary table, an amused spectator
of the scene. But suddenly his attention was attracted by a sound of
shuffling steps upon the floor, and turning, he beheld his friend
the dwarf, making his way in between the tables, with a dexterity which
his long canes would scarcely warrant.

Though surprised at the presence of one so poor in such a place, Guly
advanced, and placed a chair for him at a table near his own, and