r?"

"Once only,--so as to be able to do more than ask her if she were
well. Once, for about two minutes, I did speak to her."

"And what did she say?"

"She said it would be better that we should not meet. When she said
that, I knew that she was still fond of me. I could have fallen at
her feet that moment, only the room was full of people. I do think
that she is fond of me."

Vavasor paused a few minutes. "I dare say she is fond of you," he
then said; "but whether she has pluck for such a thing as this, is
more than I can say. Probably she has not. And if she has, probably
you would fail in carrying out your plan."

"I must get a little money first," said Burgo.

"And that's an operation which no doubt you find more difficult every
day, as you grow older."

"It seems to be much the same sort of thing. I went to Magruin this
morning."

"He's the fellow that lives out near Gray's Inn Lane?"

"Just beyond the Foundling Hospital. I went to him, and he was quite
civil about it. He says I owe him over three thousand pounds, but
that doesn't seem to make any difference."

"How much did you ever have from him?"

"I don't recollect that I ever absolutely had any money. He got a
bill of mine from a tailor who went to smash, and he kept on renewing
that till it grew to be ever so many bills. I think he did once let
me have twenty-four pounds,--but certainly never more than that."

"And he says he'll give you money now? I suppose you told him why you
wanted it."

"I didn't name her,--but I told him what would make him understand
that I hoped to get off with a lady who had a lot of tin. I asked him
for two hundred and fifty. He says he'll let me have one hundred and
fifty on a bill at two months for five hundred,--with your name to
it."

"With my name to it! That's kind on his part,--and on yours too."

"Of course I can't take it up at the end of two months."

"I dare say not," said Vavasor.

"But he won't come upon you then,--nor for a year or more afterwards.
I did pay you what you lent me before."

"Yes, you did. I always thought that to be a special compliment on
your part."

"And you'll find I'll pull you through now in some way. If I don't
succeed in this I shall go off the hooks altogether soon; and if I
were dead my people would pay my debts then."

Before the evening was over Vavasor promised the assistance asked of
him. He knew that he was lending his name to a man who was utterly
ruined, and