say that it wasn't me, but a friend of yours up from
the country who is as like me as two peas. See?"

"Name o' Dodd," said Mr. Stokes, with a knowing nod. "Tommy Dodd."

"I'm not playing the giddy goat," said the other, bitterly, "and I'd
thank you not to."

"All right," said Mr. Stokes, somewhat taken aback. "Any name you like;
I don't mind."

Mr. Henshaw pondered. "Any sensible name'll do," he said, stiffly.

"Bell?" suggested Mr. Stokes. "Alfred Bell? I did know a man o' that
name once. He tried to borrow a bob off of me."

"That'll do," said his friend, after some consideration; "but mind
you stick to the same name. And you'd better make up something about
him--where he lives, and all that sort of thing--so that you can stand
being questioned without looking more like a silly fool than you can
help."

"I'll do what I can for you," said Mr. Stokes, "but I don't s'pose your
missis'll come to me at all. She saw you plain enough."

They walked on in silence and, still deep in thought over the matter,
turned into a neighboring tavern for refreshment. Mr. Henshaw drank his
with the air of a man performing a duty to his constitution; but Mr.
Stokes, smacking his lips, waxed eloquent over the brew.

"I hardly know what I'm drinking," said his friend, forlornly. "I
suppose it's four-half, because that's what I asked for."

Mr. Stokes gazed at him in deep sympathy. "It can't be so bad as that,"
he said, with concern.

"You wait till you're married," said Mr. Hen-shaw, brusquely. "You'd no
business to ask me to go with you, and I was a good-natured fool to do
it."

"You stick to your tale and it'll be all right," said the other. "Tell
her that you spoke to me about it, and that his name is Alfred Bell--B E
double L--and that he lives in--in Ireland. Here! I say!"

"Well," said Mr. Henshaw, shaking off the hand which the other had laid
on his arm.

"You--you be Alfred Bell," said Mr. Stokes, breathlessly.

Mr. Henshaw started and eyed him nervously. His friend's eyes were
bright and, he fancied, a bit wild.

"Be Alfred Bell," repeated Mr. Stokes. "Don't you see? Pretend to be
Alfred Bell and go with me to your missis. I'll lend you a suit o'
clothes and a fresh neck-tie, and there you are."

"What?" roared the astounded Mr. Henshaw.

"It's as easy as easy," declared the other. "Tomorrow evening, in a new
rig-out, I walks you up to your house and asks for you to show you to
yourself. Of course, I'm sorry