holds his course in fancied triumph. Still at his heels she
comes, and once afoot, is never turned aside.

Their business ended, the three gentlemen hastened back
to the lodgings of Mr. Swiveller, whom they found pro-
gressing so favourably in his recovery as to have been able
to sit up for half an hour, and to have conversed with
cheerfulness. Mrs. Garland had gone home some time
since, but Mr. Abel was still sitting with him. After telling
him all they had done, the two Mr. Garlands and the single
gentleman, as if by some previous understanding, took
their leaves for the night, leaving the invalid alone with
the Notary and the small servant.

"As you are so much better," said Mr. Witherden, sit-
ting down at the bedside, "I may venture to communicate
to you a piece of news which has come to me profes-
sionally."

The idea of any professional intelligence from a gentle-
man connected with legal matters appeared to afford
Richard anything but a pleasing anticipation. Perhaps
he connected it in his own mind with one or two outstanding
accounts, in reference to which he had already received
divers threatening letters. His countenance fell as he
replied,

"Certainly, sir. I hope it's not anything of a very
disagreeable nature, though?"

"If I thought it so, I should choose some better time
for communicating it," replied the Notary. "Let me tell
you, first, that my friends who have been here to-day,
know nothing of it, and that their kindness to you has
been quite spontaneous, and with no hope of return. It
may do a thoughtless, careless man good to know that."

Dick thanked him, and said he hoped it would.

"I have been making some inquiries about you," said
Mr. Witherden, "little thinking that I should find you
under such circumstances as those which have brought us
together. You are the nephew of Rebecca Swiveller,
spinster, deceased, of Cheselbourne in Dorsetshire."

"Deceased!" cried Dick.

"Deceased. If you had been another sort of nephew,
you would have come into possession (so says the will, and
I see no reason to doubt it) of five-and-twenty thousand
pounds. As it is, you have fallen into an annuity of one
hundred and fifty pounds a year; but I think I may con-
gratulate you even upon that."

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