ll upon me. his eyes were a very clear blue.

    ell, w? I answered.

    do you say to ts you Ive come for.

    .

    Gentleman nodded. I hing for you. A proposal.

    A proposal! said P. Look out, Sue, s to marry you!

    Dainty screamed, and tleman blinked, took  last, and leaned to Mrs Sucksby to say,

    Get rid of our friends at t keep Joy: I s their help.

    Mrs Sucksby ated, t Mr Ibbs; and Mr Ibbs said at once, Riged so e a s, o drop t coins into ter, one by one. Listen to t. Nohe gold know?

    Go on, Uncle  and turned up o me, to Joy and Mrs Sucksby. to Gentleman tchem go by.

    atc again.

    Mr Ibbs turned tea—splas, as Dainty man. t of team, to mix ed gold, t and teaming greatcoat. ter upon te. Jo, picking songue. Mr Ibbs able, our faces and ; but t of the room was in shadow.

    For a minute, no-one spoke. Gentleman still  and cc of all: ilted  he barrel of a gun.

    So, my son, s tory?

    Gentleman looked up.

    tory, ory is took out a card, and laid it, face-up, on table. It . An old man—a  s. ain out-of-t of ain out-of-te s, and cares for not for ts call it, a dictionary. It is a dictionary of all  ures, too—aken a mind to , ice in a ne to t: Jack of Spades—a smart young man, to  tion; and one particular smart young man—being at t time ratoo  ttle lig-of-t of employment, bed and board provided—replies to tisement, is examined, and found fit.

    t young man being yourself, said Mr Ibbs.

    t young man be