and encouraging her to eat as much as she would if a member of his sex
were not looking.

"It must be absurdly ridiculous to stay here all alone, as you do, sir,"
observed FLORA.

"But I am not always alone," answered Mr. DIBBLE. "My clerk, Mr.
BLADAMS, now taking a vacation in the country, is generally here though,
to be sure, I may lose him before long. He's turned literary."

"How perfectly frightful!" said Miss POTTS.

"He has set up for a genius, my child, and is now engaged upon a great
American novel. Discontented with the law, he is giving great attention
to this; but Free Trade will not, I am afraid, allow any American
publisher to bring it out."

"Free Trade?" repeated FLORA.

"Yes, my dear, Free Trade; that is, while American publishers can steal
foreign novels for nothing, they are not going to pay anything for
native fiction."

Yawning behind her hand, the Flowerpot murmured something about Free
Trade being positively absurd, and her guardian went on:

"Nevertheless, Mr. BLADAMS is going on-with his work, which he calls
'The Amateur Detective;' and if it ever does come out you shall have a
copy.--But, by the by," added the lawyer, suddenly, "you have not yet
fully described to me the interview in which poor Mr. EDWIN'S uncle