would allow, and staunching his swollen upper lip with a handkerchief.

"Yes," was the grave response. "You have undoubtedly noticed, Mr. EDWIN,
that in every fashionable romance, the noble and grenadine heroine has a
habit of 'drawing herself up proudly' whenever any gentleman tries to
shake hands with her, or asks her how she can possibly be so majestic
with him. This lace was used by Miss FLORA'S mother to draw herself up
proudly with; and she drew herself up so much with it, that it finally
reached her heart and killed her. I here place it in your hands, that
you may ultimately give it to your young wife as a memento of a mother
who did nothing by halves but die. If you, by any chance, should not
marry the daughter, I solemnly charge you, by the memory of the living
and the dead, to bring it back to me."

Receiving the parcel with some awe, EDWIN placed it in one of his
pockets.

"BLADAMS." said Mr. DIBBLE, solemnly, "you are witness of the transfer."

"Deponent, being duly sworn, does swear and cuss that he saw it, to the
best of his knowledge and belief," returned the clerk, helping Mr. DROOD
to resume his overcoat.

When in his own room, at Gowanus, that night, Mr. DIBBLE, in his
nightcap, paused a moment before extinguishing his light, to murmur to
himself: "I wonder, now, whether poor POTTS confided his orphan child to
me because he knew that I might have been the successful suitor to the
mother if I had been worth a little more money just about then?"

What time, in the law-office in town, Mr. BLADAMS was upon his knees on