A STUDY FROM THE LIFE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 4525, 29 November 1884, Page 3

A STUDY FROM THE LIFE.

CHAPTER I.

It was a cold, dwzzly evening in February, the streets were a sea of mud, and the weather was of the sort known in Scotland as "saft." However, Charlton'a chambers looked snug enough ; the fire was bright, the curtains drawn close. The occupant of the sittingroom was ensconced in a big armchair, smokinga very deeply coloured meershaum ; he looked as comfortable as possible. It was a perfect haven of refuge to one coming from the miserable streets ; at least it looked so to Welby as he pushed the door open and came in.

"Don't move, Jack," was tho visitor's greeting ; " you look too comfortable." "Don't interrupt me for half a minute," was the inhospitable rejoinder. "You'll find tobacco about somewhere." The speaker kept his eyes on a page of manuscript which he was pursuing with eagerness. In a few minutes he threw it down, and jumping up, shook hands heartily with his visitor. " Same old game ?" inquired Welby. ° Yes; but I've nearly mastered it, and it'a about time ; we've a rehearsal to-morrow at 12."

" Shall I hear you go through it ?" "Thanks; thero is one scene I'm rather afraid of; I know the words right enough, but it's a very different thing to say them when your cutting about the Btage with a lot of furniture to tumble over, and two or three people about who don't know what you are going to do, and get in your way. There you are. lam goingto start from the tenth lino. Give me my cue."

Welby took the manuscript and read, " ' Loved each other from childhood.' Who says that?" "I do, to Digby, my rival," exclaimed Charlton. "He leans toward me and whispers, ' But you are suro she loves you still ? Look at thftt!' He hands me a letter from which I lattfn that she has been deceiving me."

" I see," remarked Welby. Tranquilly reading the next cue : " ' Until you die.'" Charlton gave, wltli energy, the next speech, in which he had to bewail the crushing of his hopes, the death of his aspirations, and to declare hia irrevocable intention of obtaining revenge on the villain who had supplanted him in the enactions of the girl ho loved. Welby listened attentively, checking him from the manuscript. When ho had finished, Welby remarked: "Yes, you know that all right, but are you going to say it like that 1" " I don't know," replied the young actor disconsolately. " How ought Ito say it ?" "It strikes me that when a fellow hears that the girl he loves haa thrown him over for another man, he should show his emotion in his countenance to some extent."

"Don't I?" demanded Charlton, sharply. " You show emotion enough, but it's the wrong sort. I thought you had a violent cramp, and were trying to ease it by contortions. Now, my dear boy, you know people don't bohavo Hko that in real life; a man restrains himself even in the crises of his existence."

"Nonsense I" returned Charlton j "how can you show the difference between an ordinary oven t and a crisis except by gesture and voioo ?"

" YououghJ to be true to nature," persisted his critic.

" That's all vpry woll, but how can I be ? It's my own desire to act as people da in real life ; how can I tell how a man would behave who learnt ho hod been jilted ? For the matter of that, I don't believe you know oithor."

"I can't say I do from oxperionce," aesentod Welby, "but if I had to Btudy a part —which, thank goodness, Ihavon't—l'd manage somohow to know bow tho thing was really done. Though it's true the public won't know if yourrigbt orwrong." "Yes, they will," interrupted Charlton oagerly : "all tho parts I've studied from life have been eucceseoa. My only failures have been in situations where I had to roly on my imagination. Oh, if I could only see a fellow thrown over by a girl, I would make tho whole theatre rise at me."

Welby puffed a big cloud out of his thickstemmed briar.

11 It that case, ray dear boy, your duty is clear. Make lovo to some girl who is onfaged ; with youralluring manners you are ound to succeed; then utudy the poor fellow who was thrown over."

" Don't bo a fooV' retorted Charlton,

Welby laughed. "' Pon my word I don't sco how you'ro going to mnnage it unless you do that. I almost wish that I were engaged, bo that you might havo a chance of cutting me out. By-tho-by, have you heard that Brown has become engaged to Miss Harding T" ''No; has ho ?" oxclaimed Charlton. "I thought that Figgis was the favoured individual."

"So did most people, but it seoms they woro wrong. I know Brown himself used to fancy that Miss Harding would never havo him till he had shot nis rival or got him married to someone else."

" He's coming hero to-night," said Charlton, rising and pulling aside the curtains. " What an atrocious evening I I scarcely expect he'll care about turning out in such wretched weather."

Welby also rose and stretched himself, "Rum chap, that Brown," he remarked, as ho knocked out the ashes of his pipe. " Not a favourite of mine. You mustn't mind my running down a guest of yours— he isn't one yet, though." " Oh, I don't care two straws about him," replied Charlton ; " he seems to have an idea that the whole fun of existence depends on the number of practical jokes he can play off on fellows—jokes of the good old type, like putting a jug of water on top of a door to fall on-your head when you come into his room. He would have made his fortune fifty years agoos a writer of broad farces." " Has he ever played any tricks on you ?" asked Welby, laughing. " Yes; only two nights ago he asked me to his rooms. I knocked at the door of his sitting-room, and getting no reply, walked in. The place was empty, so, fancying he must be out for five minutes, I walked in, took a cigar from bis box, and sat down in his big armchair. Half a minute afterward my clear disappeared suddenly. Of course he had been hiding behind the chair, but you won't believe what a turn it gave me. I jumped up as if I had been shot, and he laughed till I hoped he was going to have a fit. That's his idea of a joke. I should like to let him see one from the other side."

Welby laughed in a very unsympathetic way, and Charlton couldn't help joining, " He'll sober down now he's got engaged," remarked the former. ," Let's hope so, or his wife will have a strange sort of existence. Look here, he'll be here in fire minutes if he's coming at all; just let me run through tint scene again." Welby complied after various protestations, hoping, he remarked, that the public would derive more enjoyment from the performance than he was obtaining from the rehearsal. Bat in the middle of the scene he suddenly threw the papers down, exclaiming : " I have it, my boy; you shall have the scene in real life before you are many minutes older."

"How?"

" Through Brown. You tell him that Figgis has cut him out." " But he knows that he hasn't."

" No, he dosen't. Listen. I happen to know that Miss Harding is going to-morrow to visit some friends at Liverpool; now it is at Liverpool that Figgis lives." " Yes, I know.'. "Well, Brown hasn't been to see his fiancee to-day, because Imet him this morning, and he told me he was goingfto Woolwich for the day. What you must do is this: Give him to understand that you have heard that Miss Harding, at the Day's dance two nights ago, was seen in the arms of Figgis, ana was heard to promise that she would go down to Liverpool a day earlior than arranged, so as to be able to meet him."

"Yes, but you know, all this is drawing rather too much on one's imagination," " It's in a good cause ; you will be able to study his conduct. Besides, it's only a joke, and one of his own played back on him. Of course, we will disabuse him in a minute or so, when you've had time to see how he acts. By Jove! here he comes. " Mind you back me up," said Charlton hurriedly. " All right; be careful to obsorve him closely. 'You'll electrify London if you can reproduce the scene afterward !" There was no time to make further arrangements, for Brown's knock was heard at the door, and a moment afterward he entered.

"Hullo, you fellows," he cried, "here's a sweet night to ask a man out in. It's raining cats and dogs." "Very sorry," said Charlton, "but we haven't the superintendence of the weather, or we would have managed it better for you. Take off your coat and sit down." " Thanks," said Brown, throwing himself into a chair without taking off his coat. Bang! went something with a loud report which made the others start.

" Don't be alarmed," said-Brown, laughing hugely; "it isn't dynamite; it's only this." He pulled out the remains of a paper bag that he had blown out and con-

cealed under his coat. "By Jove ! how you fellows did start," and ho went off into another fit of laughter.

Welby looked at Charlton, and gave an expressive look which was ment to convey that they would bo even with him before long. However, they were careful not to betray their intentions, and Charlton hastened to make his fresh visitor comfortable, They began talking on indifferent subjects, till the conversation gradually veered round to Brown's recent engagement. "Yes,' replied that gentleman, "I'm done for at last. The days of my liberty are over; the lark is imprisoned in its cage, content with its lump of sugar, instead of soaring over the fields, seeking its prey from the hedges." "That's not bad," remarked Welby, "though a little mixed. You uiust look upon yourself as a sort of conquering hero." " Well, yes, to some extent," acquiesced Brown tranqniily. "I can't say I thought she would have me till the very moment came ; I'm not one of your handsome men with Greek profile and all that sort of thing. I Buppese it is my intellectual powers that carry weight." " 8 htts a Greek profile," remarked Welby casually. "Figgis I" exclaimed Brown, contemptuously, "I could bo angry with that fellow if I were not able to pity him. Poor old Figgis, he would given something to be in my shoes."

Here Charlton and Welby looked at each other, and somewhat otsentatiougly heaved a sigh. Brown heard it, and turned round sharply. "What are you groaning liko that for ?' he inquired.

" Ask Welby," said Charlton,

" Ask Charlton," said Welby. " I ask both of you," exclaimed Brown,

Howover, neither of them answered for a minute or two, but puffed away in silence. Then Welby remarked:

" Miss Harding is going to visit some people at Liverpool, is she not ?"

" Yes ; what of it ?"

" That's where Figgis lives, isn't it ?" " Yes, confound him ! He met her there first. She goes down to-morrow, and I run down next day." "Have you seen her to-day?" asked Charlton.

" No, I've been to Woolwich ; besides, she's spending tho day at Bays water." Another eigli from both of the conspirators. This was moro than Brown could stand.

" Look hero, you pair of mystorious beingn," he said, rising and putting on hia hat, "If you don't tell me what all this sighing and mystic signaling mean, I declare I'll go straight home and leave you to heave sighs at each other." "Now for it," whispered Welby, while Charlton put on his most sympathetic look and began: " You know, my dear Brown, you are insisting on our telling you, so don't blame us afterward."

" Fire away I" was his reply. Thus encouraged, Charlton repeated the story agreed on, Welby every now and then putting in an explanatory word. " Watch him closely," whispered the latter to the actor.

The crisis came. Charlton explained to Brown how Miss Harding had deceived him, observing narrowly his movements. Thore was liftle to observe. Almost before ho had told hiß story Brown leaped for tho door, leaving his coat behind him. Before the others knew what was happening, ho was downstairs and out of sight. The two friends looked at each other in dismay, " Hero's a mess we'ro in," said Charlton. "What shall wo do?"

" The question is what will he do ?" returned Welby, "Wo have no time to lose; we must follow him. Quick !''

Charlton pulled on his boots, seized his hat and coat, and they ran down the stairs together. Not a soul was in eight, the little street was deserted, but in the distance they hoard the sound of the wheels of a cab rapidly becoming fainter and fainter. "This is getting past a joke," said Welby ruefully. "It's your fault, at any rate,"retorted Charlton; "if you hadn't suggested it, I should never have thought of it." " It's no use disputing whose fault it is 5 the question is how can we remedy it ? What do you propose ? " Let's find a cab first; we can talk over what wo shall do when we have found one."

" Como along, then," assented Welby. " What a beast of a night it is ; I shall catch my death with cold." "Serve you right," growled his companion, turning up the collar of his coat. " We shan't get a crawler, I'm afraid, till wo reach the Strand. We'd better go to tho stand."

" What do you moan to do then ?" " One of us had better drive to Brown's rooms, and see if he can find him there; the othor must go to Miss Harding's house on tho chnnce of his having gone there." " And suppose we find him at neither?" asked Welby. "Then we must go to Liverpool, I suppose, unless we have the good luck to catch him at tho station."

Welby gave a whistle. He had not expected to be let in for a journey to the north by tho night express. " Lot's see, Liverpool is on the Northwestern line, isn't it ?" " Yes; Euston is tho station." " All right, I'll meot you there as soon as I can. You drive to Miss Harding's——"

"No," interrupted Charlton, "you go there ; you know her better than I do." "I don't think 1 do." ■•You've always said so till now," protested Charlton. " But I don't know her well enough to make an afternoon call at half-past ten."

" You needn't go in. Just ask the servant if Mr Brown £fos been there, that's all. Here's the stand, and, thank heaven ! a couple of cabs." " Four-wheelers !" remarked Welby ruefully. ' ..."' «We must make them do. . Now, in you get; be at Euston as soon as you can ia any case, and I'll do the same." The anticipations of the ride were far from pleasant. The cabs looked wet and musty, the horses worn out and miserable, while the drivers had evidently been trying to keep the wet out by copious potations. But there was no help for it, so Welby got into one and Charlton into the other, both regretting the cosy room they had so recently left.

CHAPTER n.

It seemed an age to Charlton before he drew up at Brown's chambers. There was no light to be seen in his window, which augured ill. Inquiry of the housekeeper elicited the information that "Air Brown had come home in a sorter hurry, and scarcely stayed a minute, and then told her he was going to Livorpool, and that he wouldn't wa?t breakfast in the morning."

This confirmed Charlton's worst fears ; his only hope now was to reach the station in time te stop him. He learned that.not more than five or six minutes had elapsed since Brown's departure, so there was still a chance. As he drove on he comforted himself by thinking that trams didn't run very often atthafc time of night, and that in all probability there would not be one due to start just as Brown reached the station ; in that caso he would be obliged to wait there, and the chances were in favour of his (Charlton's) arrival in time. This hope was sufficient to render him unconscious of the dampness of the cushions on which he was sitting, and to the fact that he was by no means equipped for spending a night away from home. . Eustonat last! He jumped out of his crazy vehicle, gave the cabman double his fare, ibscause he could not wait to obtain change, and rushed to the platform. It was deserted; he returned to the waitingrooms and booking-offico; some dozen people were about, but no Brown. Even Wofby had not yet appeared; Charlton was alone. <l When did the last train start for Liverpool ?" he asked the first official ho met. With provoking slowness the man replied : "About an hour and thirty-five minutes ago, sir," "You're quite sure?" "Yes, eh"." The question touched his official pride, and he turned away disgusted. What was the next thing to be done ? It was clear Brown had not yet started for Liverpcol. There was still the hope that Welby had found the misaiug man at Miss Harding's. Until one or the other turned up he must wait at the station. To satisfy hia mind, he found out the time of the next train to Liverpool; one started in about three-quarters of an hour. " Oh, confound it all!" he muttered to himself, " how am I to stand three-quarters of an hour in this wretched place? Just long enough to be a nuisance, just too short to let anyone go anywhere first. One good thing, I must see Brown or Welby soon^ However, this did not seem so decided a »,3y at the end of aquarter of an hour, to either of them came. Charlton was setting more and more anxious,; : He looked ft the clock, but itoeemed to have stopped. His own wfttchjmade no more progress. He bad never so acutely felt the truth ot tne

simile of the leaden feet of time. At lasfc, when it was nearly twelve, a cab rumbled up to the entrance, but, alas ! it did not contain Brown, as for a moment he had hoped; instead there stumbled out the miserable Welby, wet, muddy, and ha bad temper.

"Have you found him?" inquired Chadton eagerly.

" No, you can Bee that, can't you t" " YouVe been to the house ?"

" Yes, I wish I hadn't; this fool of a cabman took me to the wrong street, and I had to get on the box and help drive ; he was as drunk as a lord. This is a nice sort of evening to spend. What are you going to do now ?"

"We must goto Liverpool and find oat if he's gone to the house where Miss Harding is going to-morrow ; if he isn't there, we must go to Figgis's place. " When's the next train ?" "In six minutes—no, five/1 " Well, but where's Brown ?" ejaculated Welby. "He can't have gone without our seeing him, I suppose ?" Charlton gave an inarticulate gasp and seized a porter going by. " Porter, doesn't the Midland Line go to Liverpool!" " Yes, sir, but this is the best service.'

"We're done !" cried Charlton, with despair in his look; "while we have been waiting hero he has started from St. Paneras. We are a couple of born fools." " Where's a time-table ?" exclaimed Welby, rushing to the office. In a few seconds they found that their fato was almost worse than they thought. In two minute? from that very moment the Liverpool train from St. Pancra9 would be moving out of the station.

"This settles it," said Welby, in a tone of resigned despair; "we have had about aa bad a run of ill luck as we could well have imagined." "'There's nothing for it but to follow him," said Charlton. "We'd better take our tickets; we haven t a minute to spare." They bought their return tickets and took their seats in a smoking carriage. It did not seem long now before they were off. There was no one else in the compartment; the lamp burned dim; the rain pelted against the windows ; looking out into tho darkness, all they could see was tho reflection ef their uninviting reating-placo. They did not talk for the first few miles. When they had passed Willesden, however, Charlton threw himself back in the corner and said: ■

"As we are here, old man, wo may as well bo as comfoi-tablo as we can. Aren't you going to smoke ?" ■ ■ ■ • " Yes, I suppose so." "Can you let; me have a weed?" asked Charlton ; "we came away in Buch a hurry I forgot to put any in my pocket." Welby dived into his coat-tails, but drew back his hand with a smothered groan. "I've left my case and pouch at your rooms." .

This was a facer; to endure a long night journey without smoking was a terrible thing to anticipate. Welby threw himself back in his corner with a growl. " Of all the wild-goose chases I ever took part in, this is the wildest," he said.

"It's an awful nuisance, I own," assented Charlton, "but it can't be helped. Just fancy, my dear fellow, what will happen if we don't get hold of him. There will be a scene between him and Miss Harding; he may smash Figgis or get smashed himself ;> there will be a general hullaballoo among \ all their friends, and whatever happens we may be pretty sure thatwe3hall never be forgiven by any of the people concerned. Hang it, man 1 what would Miss Harding think of us ? I should never have the face to see her again." "She wouldn't mind that much," was Welby's surly rejoinder. "At any rate, I don't much Bee the good of rattling down to heaven knows where at this time of night. What do you suppose Brown will do when he gets to Liverpool ? 'Twill bo too late for him to call where Miss Harding is supposed to be staying." "He may go on to see Figgis," suggested Charlton.

" I suppose you will be for following him there?"

" I think that will be tho wisest thing." " Very well. I only hope it will be finer weather in Liverpool than it is here, or else that it will be so fearful that even Brown's jealousy will be damped, and he will postpone his visit till morning." " I hope he will, but there's no telling what a fellow like Brown will do. He's capable of routing Figgis out of bed and making* him fight it nut on the spot." " By-the-by," said Welby, "where does Figgis live t" "I don't know,"replied Charlton. " I've never been so far north as Liverpool in my life. Don't you know?"

"I?" exclaimed Welby; I haven't got the ghost of an idea."

They looked at each other in dismay. " Thingß look bluer than evtr," said Charlton. "We shall have to inquire." "Inquire!" sneered Welby. "There must be a Liverpool directory," suggested Charlton. " Pershaps; but he will have called long long before we've discovered which Figgis ours is out of the four or five dozen given in the directory. Who are the people with whom Miss Harding is going to stay?" "Fletcher is the name, I think," said Charlton, "butjj haven't an idea of the address. Don't tell me you don't know !".

1" I won't tell you if you wish me not to, but all the same, I don't know."

Charlton looked more blankly at him than' before. " Why, I thought you were so intimate with the Hardings that you knew all about their friends," he said. " I don't know all the addresses of all the' people they know in the country," retorted Welby. " When you said so decidedly that we must call on Figgis, and on the people Miss Harding was going to stay with, I naturally cdncludud you knew where they; lived."

The conversation was assuming a recriminatory tone. Charlton did not reply to the last speech, but pulled his hat over his eyes and pretended to go asleep. Welby did the samo, and they kept in their respective ; corners for more than an hour without saying a word. "I say, Charlton," Baid.Welby suddenly. "Well?'" " Were you asleep?" " Oh, no; i fire away!" . " What had we better do V

"Go straight back to town, and let the wretched tangle straighten itself as best we it can." .',', ''."..."

" That's my view. This was my first practical joke, and it shall be my last." , '' We shall only be quits with the follow, after all," said Charlton; " all this wretched journey must count as some sort of set-off to what he has gone through." " I say, my boy," remarked Welby : with a twinkle of mischief in his eye. " did you get many ideas of the way to act that scone ?"

" Oh; the scene——" but he burst out laughing in spite, of himself; the remembrance was too comical. "lathe piece I I have a long scene on the stage after the announcement," ho continued, "and that fellow Brown never staid an instant; 'twas one wild leap for the door and that was all. That may be the way they do it in real life, but if so, the author of the play is not aware of it. Oh, the whole business is a most awful fraud." '.-....■ - :

Good humour was restored for a while by the recollection ot the evening's incidents, but the inllue.ice of the hour and surroundings was too ■ powerful j before long they both sank into their former mental condition. Neither of them could Bleep; till how they had not tried much, and now that they did try they could not manage it. So they sat and shivered as the train shot swiftly along through the pelting rain, the half-hours dragging wearily along. 11 Well, we are a couple of fools," was the first remark made. It came from Welby.

" I dare say we are," "replied Charlton, " but what is the latest proof of it ?" " We never looked in the time-table to see whether our tvain or the Midland one reaches London first. If ours does, all we have to do is to meet the other and stop him as he gets out." "By Jove! there's a slender thread of hope yet. We must ask the guard next time we stop. He may know which arrives first."

" Yes; but how far is it from one station to the other?"

'' I haven't an idea; but a cab ought to do it in a very little time."

The new hope thoroughly woke them up, and they awaited with eagerness the next opportunity of speaking to the guard. Directly the train stopped Charlton jumped out and rushed along the platform. "Does this train or the Midland reach Liverpool first?" he demanded eagerly. "Midland, sir, five minutes before wo

do." Charlton gave a groan of despair. The lights of Liverpool appeared at last. The two unwilling travellers shook themselves thoroughly awake and gazed into tne misty distance. "One good thing," said Charlton^ "wo haven't any luggage to bother about." "I wish to goodness I had," retorted Welby ; "I don't at all relish a night out without my bag." r "We had better plan our action," suggested Charlton;'" what shall wo do directly wenrrive!": .!■■■■■ ■ "1 don't much care. I've reached the state of aTwolute indifference to everything,"

"Oh, nonsense! now we've come so far we must do what wo can. Wo had better take a cab to the Midland Station; if we meet Brown's train it's all right; if we don't we will go to the Midland Hotel—l supposo there is one—and sec if he's there." " And supposing he isn't ?" asked Welby.; "Then we are at tho end of our resources."

" It may be late though, sir," added the guard, seeing his disappoinament; "theni Midland trains often are." j Cbarlton knew by instinct that this was a libel, merely uttered to calm Jiim, and by* way of a thrust at a rival company. " What time are we due ?" he asked.

"Six ten, sir, Mid we shall be there to; the minute."

This, at all events, was comforting, and with this crumb of consolation Charlton tried to be content. But even that was. denied him, for as he roamed along the platform in search of his compartment, he heard an angry voice call out: "Are you going to stop here all night, guard 1 We're thirteen minutes late already." Welby saw by his companion's face that, the news was not encouraging. , There was nothing for it nowbut to wait,- a most aggravating method of passing time. They W9ro tired of talking, both of them wore very sleepy, and, as a consequence, considerably out of temper, Charltcin was wondering how on earth he was to: get back in time for rehearsal—a subject; of wonder: that lasted him some time, foi' it was impossible to find a solution of tl,e difficulty. Welby sat in his corner in silnnce, except when he muttered something- to himself that would have been as well left unspoken. " I am glad of that, because I mean to go to bed and get a good night's rest, whatever: happens, I feel as if I could sleep for a week."

The minutes seemed to creep on ; appar-1 ently_ the train had caught up some el its lost time, for it was now only five minutes past 6, and they seemed to be in the town.! However, the very last part of the journey is! generally the slowest, and, as they jumped j on to the platform, they noticed that the i clock pointed to thirteen minutes past the j hour. To se'ze the first gab and leap into it j was the work of a sacond ; then there was j nothing for it but again to wait. "I hope to goodness this train is lato," said Charlton, feverishly. '■ "Can't hoar what you say!", shouted Welby, " this cab makes such a row;" ;. i " Never mind," shouted back Charlton.., j "In less time than they anticipated they j reached the Midland Station. , >', You pay him," cried Charlton, jumping out before the cab stopped, and rushing down the platform. Welby gave the man a couple of! coins, without waiting to sea whether they! were sovereigns or shillings, and then ran in \ pursuit of his companion. • ■/. i " We're in time," shouted the latter as hei approached, " There been a stoppage on the! lino." . ,-■':. "That's all right," ejaculated Welby. " How long before the train will be in!" This necessitated further inquiries. The result was not so gratifying as they could; have wished. The train could not possibly; arrive for half an hour. . , .',,;. I "Half an hour!" exclaimed Welby;; '' there will be nothing of me left in half- ,a,p [ hour. Look here, Charlton, I resign. I'm' going to bed." (] " Nonsense! if you're so sleepy as that, I take a nab in the waiting-room, and I'll call! you when the train is coming. One of usi isn't enough to check everybody; he migjitj slip by without being seen." "AIJ right don't forget to wake me,"| Welby stumbled away, and in two, minutes; was fast asleep with his head on the tabta : Tho next half-hour was the slowest Charl-i ton had ever spent.' It passed at last! though, and a porter warned him. that in; two minutes the train would arrive. He) hurriedly woke up Welby, who was in a' worse temper than ever at being disturbed,and they took up their positions to check; the passengers as they descended. j ,'. , ; Five minutes afterward they might have been seen walking toward the hotel with m look of absolute disgust on their counte-j nances. No Brown was with them; their'; last hope had failed; they had done all theyl could, and must rest as satisfied as they; were able. They had come two hundred miles from home to a town where they were absolute strangers; they had missed their night's rest and thoroughly knocked themselves up, and all for nothing. "It was enough to make a man shoot himself," as Welby remarked before tumbling into bed. Charlton sat up for a few minutes to scribble a couple of telegrams to Brown—; one addressed to bis rooms, the other to the: care of Miss Harding. He explained that the whole affair was a joke, and asked him to call in the evening. The rehearsal was begun before Charlton left Liverpool; his absence necessitated a further telegram to the stage.manager.| The two friends reached town againlafter! night had fallen, feeling as "sold,. and' miserable as they well could. .The; prove! to Charlton's chambers, and the first thing' they noticed was a note on the table,' Itjan; as follows:' .: ' ■~.,'.'"' ,1 ','* ",,;," '!.'.; j "Deab Chablton: Very sorry to have] left you so unceremoniously last night. Ij went home, intending to go on to Liverpool, but it struck me on the way to Euston thrift possibly you might have been joking, earn drove to Miss Harding's to see if Bhe had! gone to Liverpool or not, arriving at the! house two; minutes after- Welby called, ij have annexed a dozen of your ' Henry Clays'. to repay me for the cost of cab-fare': <11 won-fc charge you for loss of time. iThankssfor; your telegram ; -I: will look in to-night and have a chat. regards to Welby.i Yours, i ■■■', .-.. i : ;;ftEXBROWN.'V I "Sweet letter," said Welby, .Pojoii think he will come to-night ?" ;? '. j "I don't know, but 1 ktiowT'Bhallr'beJ out." . "■■ ' ■ '-, '■''' ■: ''Perhaps 'twould be wise.;' !By-the"Jby,!i I think you had better act conventionally: in future, and not "try any more' expen-i mental, studies from the life. Don't youagree with me ?" •-■-.'■ -: : v!i j Charlton emphatically did.—"All" the Year Round." . ;