d himself left alone till after dusk; nor was
he much surprised when he learned that he was not put into one of the
mahogany-furnitured chambers, but into a back room looking over the
farm-yard in which there was no fire-place. The Captain had already
endured some of the evils of poverty, and could have put up with this
easily had nothing been said about it. As it was, Cheesacre brought
the matter forward, and apologized, and made the thing difficult.

"You see, old fellow," he said, "there are the rooms, and of course
they're empty. But it's such a bore hauling out all the things and
putting up the curtains. You'll be very snug where you are."

"I shall do very well," said Bellfield rather sulkily.

"Of course you'll do very well. It's the warmest room in the house in
one way." He did not say in what way. Perhaps the near neighbourhood
of the stables may have had a warming effect.

Bellfield did not like it; but what is a poor man to do under such
circumstances? So he went up-stairs and washed his hands before
dinner in the room without a fire-place, flattering himself that he
would yet be even with his friend Cheesacre.

They dined together not in the best humour, and after dinner they
sat down to enjoy themselves with pipes and brandy and water.
Bellfield, having a taste for everything that was expensive, would
have preferred cigars; but his friend put none upon the table. Mr
Cheesacre, though he could spend his money liberally when occasion
required such spending, knew well the value of domestic economy. He
wasn't going to put himself out, as he called it, for Bellfield! What
was good enough for himself was good enough for Bellfield. "A beggar,
you know; just a regular beggar!" as he was betrayed into saying
to Mrs Greenow on some occasion just at this period. "Poor fellow!
He only wants money to make him almost perfect," Mrs Greenow had
answered;--and Mr Cheesacre had felt that he had made a mistake.

Both the men became talkative, if not good-humoured, under the
effects of the brandy and water, and the Captain then communicated
Mrs Greenow's invitation to Mr Cheesacre. He had had his doubts as
to the propriety of doing so,--thinking that perhaps it might be to
his advantage to forget the message. But he reflected that he was
at any rate a match for Cheesacre when they were present together,
and finally came to the conclusion that the message should be
delivered. "I had to go and just wish her goodbye you kno