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"What ad out-add-out systeb, that cheque systeb is. It saves a bad the trouble of puttidg his hadd idto his pocket, which is very addoyidg whed there's doe buddy there. I dever wrote wud id by life. I should like to write a few. I'b sure it must be a cobfort."

"When you know that they will be cashed."

"That's of course what I bead. If ady badker id dature would cash by cheques, I'd give hib add all his clerks twelvebodths hard labour."

"But you are not short of money, are you?"

"Dot a bit of it! I dod't wad't buch; but I'b dever without a sov. Whed I cobe dowd to wud, that's the sigdal for actiod: I dever let eb rest till they bake it up five. Five's the baxibud: wud's the bidibub; but the goverdor owes be two, which I cad't get."

"He owes you two!"

"Of course. About twelvebodths ago, a swell swiddled hib out of two --which two he said I bight get if I could; but I cad't fide the fellow—add as I therefore cad't get the buddy of hib, the goverdor owes it of course!"

"Well, if you can convince him that he owes it by such a line of logic as that, I have not the slightest doubt that he'll pay you."

"I expect he'll give it be wud of these days id a state of disgust, to get rid of the addoyadce. But I say, you'll stop add have a bit of ludch with be?"

"No; not this morning."

"I've got sobe pribe stout, add the bortal rebaids of a capital pie! Have a look at it."

"No, I must be off."

"Well, if you bust, why, you bust! But whedever you wadt to go to by udcles, you cad't do better thad take be with you. That's a dodge I shad't forget."

Sylvester smiled, and left him; and when he had got the cheque cashed, he enclosed the whole of the twenty-five pounds, with a delicate note, signed simply "A Friend," and privately sent it to Julia's mother.

In the evening—having previously intimated to Mr. Scholefield that he had promised to call upon Julia—he performed that promise, and the moment he entered the room, the old lady—who felt sure that the money had been sent by him—fell upon his neck, blessed him, and sobbed like a child.

On reaching the bed, he found Julia much weaker. Her eyes, indeed, flashed as she beheld him, and the blood rushed at once to her cheeks; but her glance soon changed to an inexpressive glare, and her cheeks became deadly pale.

"My dear girl," said Sylvester, perceiving at once that Mr. Scholefield's conjecture was correct; "I fear that you are not quite so well this evening?"

Julia had not the power to speak above a whisper, and that was too faint to be heard.

"But, come," resumed Sylvester, tenderly; "you must not be sad. All may yet be well. Julia, I have come to sit with you to converse with you, Julia."