first entrance. When Mrs Butt had placed a paraffin lamp on the table,
with a dark-brown teapot, a thick glass sugar-bowl, a cream-jug to
match, and a plate of thick-buttered toast that scented the atmosphere
deliciously, our hero thought--not for the first time in his life--that
wealth was a delusion, besides being a snare.

"`One wants but little here below,'" he mused, as he glanced round the
apartment; "but he wants it longer than _that_," thought he, as his eyes
wandered to the ancient sofa, which was obviously eighteen inches too
short for him.

"I 'ope you've found 'im, sir," said Mrs Butt anxiously, as she was
about to retire.

"Found who?"

"Your relation, sir; the little boy--I mean gurl."

"No, I have found neither the boy nor the girl," returned the lodger
sharply. "Haven't even begun to look for them yet."

"Oh! beg parding, sir, I didn't know there was _two_ of 'em."

"Neither are there. There's only one. Fetch me some hot water, Mrs
Butt, your tea is _too_ good. I never take it strong."

The landlady retired, and, on returning with the water, found her lodger
so deep in a newspaper that she did not venture to interrupt him.

Tea over, Charlie locked his door and clothed himself in his late
purchase, which fitted him fairly well, considering that he had measured
it only by eye. Putting on the billycock, and tying the green cotton
kerchief loosely round his neck to hide his shirt, he stepped in front
of the looking-glass above the mantelpiece.

At sight of himself he was prepared to be amused, but he had not
expected to be shocked! Yet shocked he certainly was, for the
transformation was so complete that it suddenly revealed to him
something of the depth of degradation to which he _might_ fall--to which
many a man as good as himself, if not better, _had_ fallen. Then
amusement rose within him, for he was the very beau-ideal of a typical
burglar, or a prize-fighter: big, square-shouldered, deep-chested,
large-chinned. The only parts that did not quite correspond to the type
were his straight, well-formed nose and his clear blue eyes, but these
defects were put right by slightly drooping his eyelids, pushing his
billycock a little back on his head, and drawing a lock of hair in a
drunken fashion over his forehead.

Suddenly an idea occurred to him. Slipping his latchkey into his pocket
he went out of the house and closed the door softly. Then he rang the
bell.

"Is the gen'leman at