may I ask, my dear sir?--If Miss Horn
should die, say shortly after your own decease, what then?"

"I have thought of that too. Would it be in order, to appoint a trustee,
to hold the property, in such a case, for my child?"

"Yes, quite in order. Have you the name ready, my dear sir?"

"I will give you that of Rev. George Durnford, of Cottonborough."

"And, for how long, Mr. Horn," asked Mr. Ball, when he had written down
Mr. Durnford's name and address, "must the property be thus held?"

"Till my daughter comes to claim it."

"But, but, my dear sir----"

"Very well," said "Cobbler" Horn, breaking in upon the lawyer's incipient
protest; "put it like this. Say that, in the event of my sister's death,
everything is to go into the hands of Mr. Durnford, to be held by him in
trust for my daughter, and to be dealt with according to his own
discretion."

"That is all on that subject, gentlemen," he added, in a tone of finality;
and, having summarily dismissed one matter of business, he as summarily
introduced another. "And now," he said, "having made provision for my
daughter in the event of my death, I wish also to provide for her in
case she should come back during my life. I desire the sum of L50,000
to be set aside and invested in such a manner, that my daughter may have
it--principal and interest--as her own private fortune during my life."

Mr. Ball regarded his singular client with a doubtful look.

"Is it necessary to do that, my dear sir? With your wealth, you will be
able, at any time, to do for your daughter what you please."

"Yes," said Mr. Tongs, who seemed to think it time to put in his word.

"Gentlemen," said "Cobbler" Horn. "You must let me have my own way. It is
my intention to turn my money to the best account, according to my light;
and I wish to have the L50,000 secured to my child, lest, when she comes
back, there should be nothing left for her."

"Well, Mr. Horn, of course your wishes shall be obeyed," said Mr. Ball,
with a sigh; "but it is not an arrangement which I should advise."

With this final protest the subject was dismissed; but, for many days, the
L50,000 to be invested for the missing daughter of his eccentric client
remained a burden on the mind of Mr. Ball.

"And now," said "the Golden Shoemaker," "there is just another thing
before I go. I have been to see my village. I found it, as you warned me,
in a sadly dilapidated condition; and I have desired Mr. Gray to make all