around his heart, began to melt like snow under sunbeams.
"Ah, Mr. Titmouse, Mr. Titmouse! the women are always right, and _we're_
always wrong," continued Tag-rag, earnestly, perceiving his advantage.
"Upon my soul I could kick myself for my stupidity, and cruelty too!"

"Ah, I should think so! No one knows what I've suffered! And now," added
Titmouse, suddenly, "that I'm--I suppose you've heard it all,
sir?--what's in the wind--and all that?"

"Yes, sir--Mr. Gammon (that most respectable gentleman) and I have had
a long talk yesterday about you, in which he did certainly tell me
everything--nothing like confidence, Mr. Titmouse, when gentleman meets
gentleman, you know! Oh, Lord! the news is really delightful!
delightful!"

"_Isn't_ it, sir?" eagerly interrupted Titmouse, his eyes glistening
with sudden rapture.

"Ah! ten thous--I _must_ shake hands with you, my dear Mr. Titmouse;"
quoth Tag-rag, with affectionate excitement--and, for the first time in
their lives, their hands touched, Tag-rag squeezing that of Titmouse
with energetic cordiality; while he added, with a little emotion in his
tone--"Thomas Tag-rag may be a plain-spoken and wrong-headed man, Mr.
Titmouse--but he's a warm heart, I assure you!"

"And did Mr. Gammon tell you _all_, sir?" eagerly interrupted Titmouse.

"Everything--everything; quite confidential, I assure you, for he saw
the interest I felt in you!"

"And did he say about my--hem!--eh? my stopping a few weeks longer with
you?" inquired Titmouse, chagrin overspreading his features.

"I think he did, indeed, Mr. Titmouse! He's quite bent on it, sir! And
so would any true friend of yours be--because you see!"--here he dropped
his voice, and looked very mysteriously at Titmouse--"in short I quite
agree with Mr. Gammon!"

"Do you indeed, sir?" exclaimed Titmouse, with rather an uneasy look.

"I do, i' faith! Why, they'd give thousands and thousands to get you out
of the way--and what's _money_ to _them_? But they must look very sharp
that get at you in the premises of Thomas Tag-rag, I warrant
'em!--Talking of that, ah, ha!--it _will_ be a funny thing to see you,
Mr. Titmouse--Squire Titmouse--ah, ha, ha!"

"You won't hardly expect me to go out with _goods_, I suppose, sir?"
inquired Titmouse, somewhat anxiously.

"Ha, ha, ha!--Ha, ha, ha!--Might as well ask me if I'd clean that beast
Lutestring's shoes! No, no, my dear Mr. Titmouse, you and I have done
with each other as master an