aring the session of Parliament, and often for a much longer period. It
was in this street and in this circle that the Cotterells lived and
moved. Mr. Cotterell, the father of Kate--the prettiest Kate in all that
locality, at least, so Tom Barton said, and he ought to know for he had
seen her often, and never failed to get his face as close to hers as
possible whenever a chance presented itself for his so doing--was a
retired stock broker who, having made a considerable hit in a great
speculation by which he realized a handsome sum, prudently took the
advice of his spouse and let well enough alone, retired from business,
left their dusky residence in the city, and moved to their present
abode, No. 54 Upper Harley Street. Mrs. Cotterell was the youngest
sister of Mrs. Barton of the Willows, in Devonshire, hence the
relationship between our friend, Tom Barton, and pretty cousin Kate, the
charm of whose gay and lively manners had made quite an impression on
the susceptible heart of cousin Tom, which increased and strengthened
during the frequent visits of that young lady to her aunt's in
Devonshire. Nor was it a one sided affair, for she had been captivated
by the handsome person and agreeable address of her cousin, but being
petit in stature, she was like most little beauties, very arbitrary and
capricious towards her lover, yet, with all this, she was a girl of
good, sound sense, and knowing that her portion on the death of her
parents would be but small, would not consent to entangle herself in the
meshes of matrimony until Tom had established himself in his profession,
and there was a fair prospect of their succeeding in life.

It will be remembered that Tom Barton left for London about the same
time that Arthur Carlton started for India. He had been more fortunate
than could have been expected in the profession he had chosen, for he
had scarcely been three years turning over musty deeds, copying legal
documents and other drudgeries appertaining to a lawyer's office, when
his employer died, leaving him the business and recommending him to the
notice of his clients generally. Now, although Tom's chambers were
situated in Lincoln's Inn Fields which everybody knows (who knows
anything of London) is a large, airy space, surrounded with iron
railings, wherein there are plenty of trees, flowers, grasses, and
gravel walks to stroll about in, all of which could be seen from his
chamber window. But this was not sufficient for hi