to be one of Nature’s great problems that the whole human race were bound to set their heads together to solve.  A hundred pounds—­Harry wanted no more, and he could not get it.  His uncles? they were as poor as rats; and all the spare money they could club was going for Mel’s Election expenses.  A hundred and fifty was what Harry really wanted; but he could do with a hundred.  Ferdinand, who had plenty, would not even lend him fifty.  Ferdinand had dared to hint at a debt already unsettled, and he called himself a gentleman!

‘You wouldn’t speak of money-matters now, would you, Harrington?’

‘I dislike the subject, I confess,’ said Evan.

‘And so do I’ Harry jumped at the perfect similarity between them.  ’You can’t think how it bothers one to have to talk about it.  You and I are tremendously alike.’

Evan might naturally suppose that a subject Harry detested, he would not continue, but for a whole hour Harry turned it over and over with grim glances at Jewry.

‘You see,’ he wound up, ’I’m in a fix.  I want to help that poor girl, and one or two things—­’

’It ‘s for that you want it?’ cried Evan, brightening to him.  ’Accept it from me.’

It is a thing familiar to the experience of money-borrowers, that your ‘last chance’ is the man who is to accommodate you; but we are always astonished, nevertheless; and Harry was, when notes to the amount of the largest sum named by him were placed in his hand by one whom he looked upon as the last to lend.

‘What a trump you are, Harrington!’ was all he could say; and then he was for hurrying Evan into the house, to find pen and paper, and write down a memorandum of the loan:  but Evan insisted upon sparing him the trouble, though Harry, with the admirable scruples of an inveterate borrower, begged hard to be allowed to bind himself legally to repay the money.

’’Pon my soul, Harrington, you make me remember I once doubted whether you were one of us—­rather your own fault, you know!’ said Harry.  ’Bury that, won’t you?’

‘’Till your doubts recur,’ Evan observed; and Harry burst out, ’Gad, if you weren’t such a melancholy beggar, you’d be the jolliest fellow I know!  There, go after Rosey.  Dashed if I don’t think you’re ahead of Ferdinand, long chalks.  Your style does for girls.  I like women.’

With a chuckle and a wink, Harry swung-off.  Evan had now to reflect that he had just thrown away part of the price of his bondage to Tailordom; the mention of Rose filled his mind.  Where was she?  Both were seeking one another.  Rose was in the cypress walk.  He saw the star-like figure up the length of it, between the swelling tall dark pillars, and was hurrying to her, resolute not to let one minute of deception blacken further the soul that loved so true a soul.  She saw him, and stood smiling, when the Countess issued, shadow-like, from a side path, and declared that she must claim her brother for a few instants.  Would her sweet Rose pardon her?  Rose bowed coolly.  The hearts of the lovers were chilled, not that they perceived any malice in the Countess, but their keen instincts felt an evil fate.