one of the gentlemen belonging to the firm?" asked the
doctor, on entering the store of Messrs. L---- & P----.

"Here is Mr. L----," said the individual he had addressed, referring
him to a middle-aged, thoughtful-looking man, with something
prepossessing in his face.

The doctor bowed to Mr. L----, and then said--

"My name is Dr. Grimes."

Mr. L---- bowed in return, remarking, as he did so--

"Will you walk in?"

The doctor was rather disappointed at the manner of his reception, and
experienced a slight depression of spirits as he followed the merchant
back into one of the counting-rooms attached to the store.

"Will you take a chair, sir?" said the merchant.

Both the gentlemen sat down. About L---- there was an air of
expectancy, which the doctor did not fail to remark.

"My name is Doctor Grimes," said he, repeating his first introduction.

"I am happy to see you, doctor," returned L----, bowing again.

"I received a letter from your house, this morning," said the victim,
for such he really was, "desiring me to call, as you had some
communication to make that would be to my advantage."

"There's some mistake," replied the merchant. "No letter of the kind
has emanated from us."

"Are you certain?" asked the disappointed man, in a voice greatly
changed; and he drew forth the letter he had received.

L---- looked at the communication, and shook his head.

"There is no truth in this, sir. I regret to say that you have, most
probably, been made the victim of an idle and reprehensible jest.
To-day, you are aware, is the First of April."

"Can it be possible!" exclaimed the doctor, clasping his hands
together, while his face became pale and overcast with disappointment.
"Who could have been so unkind, so cruel!"

"And is the disappointment very great?" said the merchant, touched with
the manner of his visitor, which showed more pain than mortification at
the cheat practised upon him.

With an effort at self-command, Doctor Grimes regained, to some extent,
his lost composure, and rising, remarked, as he partly turned himself
away--

"Forgive this intrusion, sir. I ought to have been more on my guard."

But an interest having been awakened in the mind of Mr. L----, he would
not suffer his visitor to retire until he held some conversation with
him. In this conversation he learned, through delicately asked
questions, even more of his real condition in life than the latter
meant to communicate; and he