Mark, if you'll assist me at this
strait I'll never forget it. And the time will come round when I may
be able to do something for you."

"I have not got a hundred, no, not fifty pounds by me in the world."

"Of course you've not. Men don't walk about the streets with L400 in
their pockets. I don't suppose there's a single man here in the house
with such a sum at his bankers', unless it be the duke."

"What is it you want, then?"

"Why, your name, to be sure. Believe me, my dear fellow, I would not
ask you really to put your hand into your pocket to such a tune as
that. Allow me to draw on you for that amount at three months. Long
before that time I shall be flush enough." And then, before Mark
could answer, he had a bill stamp and pen and ink out on the table
before him, and was filling in the bill as though his friend had
already given his consent.

"Upon my word, Sowerby, I had rather not do that."

"Why? what are you afraid of?"--Mr. Sowerby asked this very sharply.
"Did you ever hear of my having neglected to take up a bill when it
fell due?" Robarts thought that he had heard of such a thing; but in
his confusion he was not exactly sure, and so he said nothing.

"No, my boy; I have not come to that. Look here: just you write,
'Accepted, Mark Robarts,' across that, and then you shall never hear
of the transaction again; and you will have obliged me for ever."

"As a clergyman it would be wrong of me," said Robarts.

"As a clergyman! Come, Mark! If you don't like to do as much as that
for a friend, say so; but don't let us have that sort of humbug. If
there be one class of men whose names would be found more frequent on
the backs of bills in the provincial banks than another, clergymen
are that class. Come, old fellow, you won't throw me over when I am
so hard pushed." Mark Robarts took the pen and signed the bill. It
was the first time in his life that he had ever done such an act.
Sowerby then shook him cordially by the hand, and he walked off to
his own bedroom a wretched man.

CHAPTER IX

The Vicar's Return

The next morning Mr. Robarts took leave of all his grand friends with
a heavy heart. He had lain awake half the night thinking of what he
had done and trying to reconcile himself to his position. He had not
well left Mr. Sowerby's room before he felt certain that at the end
of three months he would again be troubled about that L400. As he
went along the passage, all the man's known ant