o be
off--I'm too late already!"

"They have not even put his carpet-bag in yet," said I.

"Well, I shall make a bolt, and chance it about his seeing me,"
exclaimed Lawless; "he'll only think I'm going out for a walk rather
earlier than usual, if he does catch a glimpse of me, so here's off."

Thus saying, he placed his hat upon his head, with the air of a man
determined to do or die, and vanished.

Fortune is currently reported to favour the brave, and so, to do her
justice, she generally does; still, at the best of times, she is but a
fickle jade, at all events she appeared determined to prove herself so
in the present instance; for ~33~~scarcely had Lawless got a dozen paces
from the house, before Dr. Mildman appeared at the front door with
his great coat and hat on, followed by Thomas bearing a carpet-bag and
umbrella, and, his attention being attracted by footsteps, he turned his
head, and beheld Lawless. As soon as he perceived him he gave a start of
surprise, and, pulling out his eye-glass (he was rather short-sighted),
gazed long and fixedly after the retreating figure. At length, having
apparently satisfied himself as to the identity of the person he was
examining, he replaced his glass, stood for a moment as if confounded by
what he had seen, and then turning, abruptly re-entered the house,
and shut his study-door behind him with a bang, leaving Thomas and the
fly-driver mute with astonishment. In about five minutes he re-appeared,
and saying to Thomas, in a stern tone, "Let that note be given to Mr.
Lawless the moment he returns," got into the fly and drove off.

"There's a precious go," observed Coleman; "I wonder what's in the wind
now. I have not seen old Sam get up the steam like that since I have
been here. He was not half so angry when I put Thomas's hat on the peg
where he hangs his own, and he, never noticing the difference, put it
on, and walked to church in it, gold band and all."

"I wouldn't be Lawless for something," observed I; "I wonder what the
note's about?"

"That's just what puzzles me," said Coleman. "I should have thought
he had seen the sporting togs, but that's impossible; he must have a
penetrating glance indeed if he could see through that Macintosh."

"Lawless was too impatient," said Cumberland; "he should have waited a
few minutes longer, and then Mildman would have gone off without knowing
anything about him. Depend upon it, the grand rule of life is to take
things coolly