sack with soot, and carried it to the onion-bed. Then we waited for
a wet day, usually plentiful enough in haymaking time, now long
deferred. ARPACHSHAD insisted that we were to make quite sure that
rain was coming--then sprinkle the soot over the unsuspectiong onion.
"We waited just too long, not starting till the rain began to fall.
Found it exceedingly unpleasant handling the soot under conditions of
moisture. But, as SARK said, having put our hands to the soot-bag,
we were not going to turn back. Nor did we till we had completed the
task, ARPACHSHAD looking on, cheered only by the hope that the heavy
rain would wash the soot off before it could have any effect on
the fly. On the whole, the task proved productive of reward. Either
ARPACHSHAD had been mistaken, and the crop had not been attacked by
the fly, or the soot had done its work. Anyhow, the bed bloomed
and blossomed, and, at the time I left for Midlothian, was looking
exceedingly well. Then came SARK'S telegram, as described in the last
chapter. After the fly came the mildew. Close on the heels, or
rather the wings, of the _Anthomyia Ceparum_, fell the _Peronospora
Schleideniana._

"It isn't often it happens," said ARPACHSHAD, rubbing his hands
gleefully;--"but, when you get one on the top of t'other, you don't
look for much crop in that particular year."

* * * * *

HOW IT'S DONE.

_A Hand-book to Honesty._

NO. V.--MONEY LENT (ONE WAY AMONG MANY.)