ked. Sophy has the money to
discharge the meaner part of our debt to you."

"I don't value that," said the Cobbler, colouring.

"But we value your esteem," said Mr. Waife, with a smile that would have
become a field-marshal. "And so, Merle, you think, if I am a broken-down
vagrant, it must be put to the long account of the celestial bodies!"

"Not a doubt of it," returned the Cobbler, solemnly. "I wish you would
give me date and place of Sophy's birth that's what I want; I'd take her
horryscope. I'm sure she'd be lucky."

"I'd rather not, please," said Sophy, timidly.

"Rather not?--very odd. Why?"

"I don't want to know the future."

"That is odder and odder," quoth the Cobbler, staring; "I never heard a
girl say that afore."

"Wait till she's older, Mr. Merle," said Waife: "girls don't want to
know the future till they want to be married."

"Summat in that," said the Cobbler. He took up the crystal. "Have you
looked into this ball, pretty one, as I bade ye?"

"Yes, two or three times."

"Ha! and what did you see?"

"My own face made very long," said Sophy,--"as long as that--,"
stretching out her hands.

The Cobbler shook his head dolefully, and screwing up one eye, applied
the other to the mystic ball.

MR. WAIFE.--"Perhaps you will see if those two gentlemen are coming."

SOPHY.--"Do, do! and if they will give us three pounds!"

COBBLER (triumphantly).--"Then you do care to know the future, after
all?"

SOPHY.--"Yes, so far as that goes; but don't look any further, pray."

COBBLER (intent upon the ball, and speaking slowly, and in jerks).--"A
mist now. Ha! an arm with a besom--sweeps all before it."

SOPHY (frightened).--"Send it away, please."

COBBLER--"It is gone. Ha! there's Rugge,--looks very angry,--savage,
indeed."

WAIFE.--"Good sign that! proceed."

COBBLER.--"Shakes his fist; gone. Ha! a young man, boyish, dark hair."

SOPHY (clapping her hands).--"That is the young gentleman--the very
young one, I mean--with the kind eyes; is he coming?--is he, is he?"

WAIFE--"Examine his pockets! do you see there three pounds?"

COBBLER (testily).--"Don't be a-interrupting. Ha! he is talking with
another gentleman, bearded."

SOPHY (whispering to her grandfather).--"The old young gentleman."

COBBLER (putting down the crystal, and with great decision).--"They
are coming here; I see 'd them at the corner of the lane, by the
public-house, two minutes' walk to this door." He took out a gre