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highly respectable-looking body, ycleped in those days "the swell mob," was then discharged; and as the prosecutor was leaving the office in disgust, Tom, with a view to the vindication of his own honour, arrested his progress.

"Will you do be the favour," said he, "to explaid to be how this stradge bistake occurred? By object id requestidg this favour is to satisfy by goverdor that I ab dot the bad."

"In any case you are entitled to an explanation," said the prosecutor, "after having been put to so much trouble and annoyance."

"Oh, I dod't care a straw about that. I'b odly adxious to rebove whatever doubt bay exist id by goverdor's bide, about by beidg out at that tibe id the bordidg."

"Well, then, about three o'clock, as I was returning from a party, I was accosted by the fellow whom this Midas has discharged, and, as I conceived him to be a respectable man, we walked on together for some considerable distance, when suddenly he gave me a blow which nearly stunned me, drew my watch from my pocket in an instant, and made off. At this time a young gentleman was walking behind us, and witnessed the whole transaction. I did not, however, stop to speak to him then, but pursued the scoundrel, who was eventually secured, and, while the policeman held him, I returned to this gentleman, and begged of him to accompany me to the station. This, he said, would put him to great inconvenience, but he assured me that he should be most happy to appear and give evidence at the police-office, when called upon to do so. Being satisfied with this assurance, and knowing that my evidence alone, without even that of the policeman, would be sufficient to cause the prisoner to be detained, I did not press him to accompany me then, but took his address, which he readily gave me, and it certainly is my impression that he told me that he was the son, or the nephew, of Dr. Delolme. I was, of course, somewhat excited at the time, and being so, I may have misunderstood him: indeed, I now feel that I must have misunderstood him; but certain am I that, in some way, either directly or indirectly, he mentioned the name of Dr. Delolme. He might have said that he was known to Dr. Delolme, or that he was in some way connected with Dr. Delolme, but he certainly mentioned the name of Dr. Delolme, for the moment I heard that name mentioned, I was satisfied."

"Might he not," said the doctor, "have been, as the magistrate suggested to us, one of the associates of this man?"

"I do not believe that he was. I cannot believe it. He was a young man, upon whom I fancied, at the time, I might with safety place the utmost reliance. I may have been deceived; it is possible: but certainly my impression is that he knew no more of the fellow than I did. And now," added the prosecutor, turning to Tom, "having explained how it happened that I sent for you this morning, I hope that you will accept my apology for—"

"Dodsedce!" cried Tom; "dod't bedtiod it! I'b odly sorry that the fellow was dot pudished. You have dot recovered your watch, I suppose?"

"Oh, yes! I found it this morning in the area of one of the houses: