Chapter I.

Otago Witness, Issue 1032, 9 September 1871, Page 19

Chapter I.

UEFOEM.

William Fassil lived with bis grandmother and his sister Ju. at Hiitop, near Reigate. He was a clerk in the Admiralty, and had to go up to London in the morning, and back to dinner in the evening, which he did not mind. He called the railway carriage his smokinpc-room.

William Fassil wa3 thirty, the grandmother eighty, Ju. twenty- three ; the intermediate generation being dead. On Sunday afternoon, it was William Fassil's delight to take a long walk, if only he could, find a companion ; and the friend who most commonly came to his rescue was Tom Chatteris.

Tom was not such good company on one of these afternoons as usual ; he listened well enough, so does a horse ; but he did not seem to take in meaning with words. At last he said : " Look here, old fellow, I want to speak to you seriously. "

" About the weights in the Cambridgeshire, I suppose," replied Fassil. " Take my advice, Tom, and never back another horse tili his number is up."

"I mean to improve upon it, and let them run unbacked altogether. — Don't look astonished ; a fellow must give up betting some day, and I prefer doing it before I am quite smashed."

" You ! I thought you were always on winners !"

" No doubt I have had better luck than the majority of backers, but that does not make a pennyworth of difference A man always increases his expenditure when he wins, but he never reduces it again in proportion when he loses. Upon my word, though it sounds contradictory, I am certain that it pays better to lose steadily from the first, than to start successfully, even if you win on the average."

" There is a good deal of truth in what you say, Tom," replied Fassil ; " but how on earth did you ever come to discover it ?"

"Well, William, the fact is — I want to marry your sister Ju. There, the murder's out !"

Faasil, who was forging ahead at the rate of four miles and a half to the hour, stopped so abruptly, that his hat shot over bis forehead. " What !" he exclaimed.

Tom continued bashfully. IC I daresay it sounds queer to you, who know more about me than most other fellows do, and a terrible deal more than Ju. does. It is true lam not worthy of her ; but there would be precious few marriages if — if men were expected to be as good as girls are."

" It is not that," said Fassil j but the idea of your marrying ! And Ju. !" And picking up his hat, he walked on cogitating.

" I have sold my hunter and my hack ; I have paid all my debts ; I have given up my chambers, and taken quiet lodgings at Sydenham, where some of ray people live ; and I have looked into my affairs boldly before mentioning the matter," said Tom.

"Then you and Ju. are not aotually engaged ?"

" £fot precisely ; but it i 3 all right if I can manage to board, lodge, and clothe her. That is the worst of it ; I find that I have been living, like a fool, on my capital, and have only five thousand pounds left. I must do something ; and the question is, What am I fit for ? I doubt whether 1 Bhould make a good paroon ; besides, 1 left the university without taking a degrte. It is late to start educating one's self for a lawyer or doctor at thirty. Do you think I could get a secretaryship ? As for comepetive examinations — 1 never knew but little, and have forgotten that little long as;o."

" My dear Tom," said Fassil, gravely, " we have always beon friends, and I do not know any man I would sooner have for a brother-in-law ; but we must look facts fairly in the face. Ju. has nothing ; she is entirely dependent upon me, and i live up to my small income ; so that she will be able to bring nothing to help." " I knew, that old fellow." " Well, then, it is absolutely necessary that you should, as you say, have some other source of income than the interest upon five thousand pounds. It is true that Ju. is an excellent manager, and makes my salary go a marvellous way ; but, then, think what your habits have bean !"