"I am innocent, my Lord," said Francesca. "I have told you the truth."

"But not the whole truth, prisoner at the bar. Don't you remember that
when the new Loan came out you borrowed money from me in order to take
up one hundred pounds of it?"

"Is _that_ it?" said Francesca. "No, I hadn't remembered that."

"Of course," I said, "a financial magnate like yourself would easily
forget so wretched a sum; but the Bank has done no wrong."

"Yes, it has; it sent out a lot of papers that were very confusing,
and it's no wonder I made a mistake."

"The question in my mind," I said, "is this: when are you going to
repay what you owe me--with interest?"

"We'll talk about that another time," said Francesca.

R.C.L.

* * * * *

FOR OUR SAILORS AND SOLDIERS.

The Veterans Association is giving a Special Entertainment at the
Alhambra on Sunday afternoon, December 30th, on behalf of their
Imperial Memorial Fund which is being raised to expand the Veterans
Club into an adequate Institution for the comfort of ex-sailors
and ex-soldiers, and to provide an Imperial Memorial for those who