hat Vincent Holroyd was as
guiltless as Mark himself of any intention to portray Mr. Humpage in
the pages of 'Illusion'; he had indeed heard of him from the Langtons,
but the resemblances in the imaginary solicitor to Dolly's godfather
were few and trivial enough, and, like most of such half-unconscious
reminiscences, required the aid of a malicious dulness to pass as
anything more than mere coincidences.

But the next day, while Mark was thinking apprehensively of 'Illusion'
as a perfect mine of personalities, the heavy steps were heard again
in the passage and up the staircase; he sighed wearily, thinking that
perhaps the outraged Mr. Humpage had remembered something more
offensive, and had called again to give him the benefit of it.

However, this time the visitor was Mr. Solomon Lightowler, who stood
in the doorway with what he meant to be a reassuring smile on his
face--though, owing to a certain want of flexibility in his uncle's
features, Mark misunderstood it.

'Oh, it's you, is it?' he said bitterly. 'Come in, Uncle, _come_ in.
You undertook when I saw you last never to speak to me again, but _I_
don't mind if you don't. I had a thorough good blackguarding yesterday
from your friend Humpage, so I've got my hand in. Will you curse me
sitting down or standing? The other one stood!'

'No, no, it ain't that, my boy. I don't want to use 'ard words. I've
come to say, let bygones be bygones. Mark, my boy, I'm _proud_ of
yer!'

'What, of a literary man! My dear uncle, you can't be well--or you've
lost money.'

'I'm much as usual, thanky, and I haven't lost any money that I know
of, and--and I _mean_ it, Mark, I've read your book.'

'I know you have--so has Humpage,' said Mark.

Uncle Solomon chuckled. 'You made some smart 'its at 'Umpage,' he
said. 'When I first saw there was a country solicitor in the book, I
said to myself, "That's goin' to be 'Umpage," and you 'ad him fine, I
_will_ say that. I never thought to be so pleased with yer.'

'You need not have shown your pleasure by sending him a marked copy.'

'I was afraid he wouldn't see it if I didn't,' explained Mr.
Lightowler, 'and I owed him one over that gander, which he summonsed
me for, and got his summons dismissed for his trouble. But I've not
forgotten it. P'r'aps it was going rather far to mark the places; but
there, I couldn't 'elp it.'

'Well, I suppose you know that amounts to libel?' said Mark, either
from too hazy a recollection of the la