their road; his excuse to Arthur being, that a troublesome creditor of
his lived in it. The plea was a true one. Not to make a mystery of it,
it may as well be acknowledged that Hamish had contracted some debts,
and that he found it difficult to pay them. They were not many, and a
moderate sum would have settled them; but that moderate sum Hamish did
not possess. Let us give him his due. But that he had fully counted
upon a time of wealth being close at hand, it is probable that he never
would have contracted them. When Hamish erred, it was invariably from
thoughtlessness--from carelessness--never from deliberate intention.

Arthur, of course, turned from the objectionable street, and continued
his straightforward course. They were frequently hindered; the streets
were always crowded at assize time, and acquaintances continually
stopped them. Amongst others, they met Roland Yorke.

"Are you coming round to Cator's, to-night?" he asked of Hamish.

"Not I," returned Hamish, with his usual gay laugh. "I am going to draw
in my expenses, and settle down into a miser."

"Moonshine!" cried Roland.

"Is it moonshine, though? It is just a little bit of serious fact,
Yorke. When lord chancellors turn against us and dash our hopes, we
can't go on as though the exchequer had no bottom to it."

"It will cost you nothing to come to Cator's. He is expecting one or
two fellows, and has laid in a prime lot of Manillas."

"Evening visiting costs a great deal, one way or another," returned