e aged father of his now middle-aged Velvetina, but by the form of his
old opponent the Marquis de Smellismelli.

"Aha!" said the latter, producing his plaster cast. "How do you find
yourself, Sep, my boy?"

"Hot," said Septimus, with characteristic coolness.

"Introduce me to the old gentleman," said the detective.

"Peeler," was the laconic reply.

It was Solomon's turn to turn inquiringly to the lady.

She only bowed.

"I wish very much I had known this before. I have wasted fifty years
over you," said Solomon, in injured tones. "I must lose no more time if
I am to detect anything. Good morning. Aha!

"Stay!" shouts Sep, in a voice of thunder. "It is I who have wasted
fifty years running away from you. You owe me an apology, sirrah!"

The caitiff's face underwent a kaleidoscopic change as these terrible
words rant? in his ears. With the bound of of a wounded antelope he
sprang to the summit of the nearest mountain, and stood there with arms
erect against the sky, like a statue of Ajax.

"He don't seem blooming, shiver my timbers if he do," said old Peeler.

"We shall not meet again," said Sep, grinding his teeth in his
direction.

"Why should we be standing here in the sun?" said Velvetina. "Let us
return to England."

They returned the same evening.

Sub-Chapter XV.

OMNIA VINCIT AMOR.

Septimus Minor and Velvetina Peeler were married quietly at the
Crocusville Cathedral.

The bride was given away by her father, Captain Peeler, R.N.

The company was select and the presents were costly.

Amongst the latter none attracted more attention or curiosity than an
excellent plaster cast of a horse's hoof, presented to the happy couple
by the Marquis de Smellismelli and his grandson the Lord Mayor of
London.

There were few knew its history; but it was eloquent in meaning for Mr
and Mrs Septimus Minor, who have given it an honoured place on the
mantelpiece of the second spare bedroom of their bijou residence in Pink
Street.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

A QUEER PICNIC.

Sub-Chapter I.

A MYSTERIOUS MOUNTAIN.

Magnus minor and my brother Joe were about as chummy as two fellows who
had not a single taste in common could well be. Magnus, you know, was
an athlete. At least, he was in the fourth eleven, and ran regularly in
the quarter-mile open handicap. He got fifty yards the first year, and
came in tenth; in the second year they gave him a hundred, and he came
in eighteenth; in the third