cted.

"Yes," said Mr. Smith, ironically, "it does. Get round young Teddy, and
then put the banns up. Take your time about it, and be sure and let Mr.
Swann know. D'ye think 'e wouldn't understand wot it meant, and spoil
it, to say nothing of Teddy seeing through it?

"Well, wot's to be done, then?" inquired the staring Mr. Kybird.

"Send 'em up to London and 'ave 'em married by special license," said Mr.
Smith, speaking rapidly--"to-morrow, if possible; if not, the day after.
Go and pitch a tale to Teddy to-night, and make 'im understand it's to be
done on the strict q.t."

"Special licenses cost money," said Mr. Kybird. "I 'ave 'eard it's a
matter o' thirty pounds or thereabouts."

Mr. Nathan Smith rose, and his eyes were almost expressive. He nodded
good-night to the ladies and crossed to the door. Mrs. Kybird suddenly
seized him by the coat and held him.

[Illustration: "Mrs. Kybird suddenly seized him by the coat."]

"Don't be in a 'urry, Nat," she pleaded. "We ain't all as clever as you
are."

"Talk about looking a gift-'orse in the mouth--" began the indignant Mr.
Smith.

"Sit down," urged Mr. Kybird. "You can't expect us to be as quick in
seeing things as wot you are."

He pushed his partly mollified friend into his chair again, and taking a
seat next him began to view the affair with enthusiasm. "'Melia shall
turn young Nugent off to-night," he said, firmly.

"That's right," said the other; "go and do a few more silly things like
that and we shall be 'appy. If you'd got a 'ead instead of wot you 'ave
got, you wouldn't talk of giving the show away like that. Nobody must
know or guess about anything until young Teddy is married to 'Melia and
got the money."

"It seems something like deceitfulness," said Miss Kybird, who had been
listening to the plans for her future with admirable composure.

"It's for Teddy's own sake," said Nathan Smith. "Everybody knows 'e's
half crazy after you."

"I don't know that I don't like 'im best, even without the money," said
Miss Kybird, calmly. "Nobody could 'ave been more attentive than 'im.
I believe that 'e'd marry me if 'e 'ad a hundred thousand, but it looks
better your way."

"Better all round," said Nathan Smith, with at approving nod. "Now,
Dan'l, 'op round to Teddy and whistle 'im back, and mind 'e's to keep it
a dead secret on account o' trouble with young Nugent. D'ye twig?"

The admiring Mr. Kybird said that he was a wonder, and, in th