grace, and was unanimously damned. And the non-arrival of
the Himalayan rabbits was only another nail in his coffin. Uncles,
therefore, were just then a heavy and lifeless market, and there was
little inclination to deal. Still it was agreed that Uncle William, who
had just returned from India, should have as fair a trial as the others;
more especially as romantic possibilities might well be embodied in one
who had held the gorgeous East in fee.

Selina had kicked my shins--like the girl she is!--during a scuffle in
the passage, and I was still rubbing them with one hand when I found
that the uncle-on-approbation was half-heartedly shaking the other. A
florid, elderly man, quite unmistakably nervous, he let drop one grimy
paw after another, and, turning very red, with an awkward simulation of
heartiness, 'Well, h' are y' all?' he said, 'Glad to see me, eh?' As we
could hardly, in justice, be expected to have formed an opinion on him
at that early stage, we could but look at each other in silence; which
scarce served to relieve the tension of the situation. Indeed, the cloud
never really lifted during his stay. In talking things over later, some
one put forward the suggestion that he must at some time or other have
committed a stupendous crime. But I could not bring myself to believe
that the man, though evidently unhappy, was really guilty of anything;
and I caught him once or twice looking at us with evident kindliness,
though, seeing himself observed, he blushed and turned away his head.

When at last the atmosphere was clear of his depressing influence, we
met despondently in the potato-cellar--all of us, that is, but Harold,
who had been told off to accompany his relative to the station; and the
feeling was unanimous, that, as an uncle, William could not be allowed
to pass. Selina roundly declared him a beast, pointing out that he had
not even got us a half-holiday; and, indeed, there seemed little to do
but to pass sentence. We were about to put it to the vote, when Harold
appeared on the scene; his red face, round eyes, and mysterious
demeanour, hinting at awful portents. Speechless he stood a space:
then, slowly drawing his hand from the pocket of his knickerbockers, he
displayed on a dirty palm one--two--three--four half-crowns! We could
but gaze--tranced, breathless, mute. Never had any of us seen, in the
aggregate, so much bullion before. Then Harold told his tale.

[Illustration: '"_I took the old fellow to