.» ae THE APRIL FOOL.

 

pointment. ‘Who could have been so un-
kind, so cruel !”

‘And is the disappointment very great?”
said the merchant, touched with the man-
ner of his visitor, which showed more pain
than mortification at the cheat practised
upon him.

With an effort at self-command, Doctor
Grimes regained, to some extent, his lost
composure, and rising, remarked, as he
partly turned himself away—

“Forgive this intrusion, sir. I ought to
have been more on my guard.”

But an interest having been awakened
in the mind of Mr. L——, he would not
suffer his visitor to retire until he held some
conversation with him. In this conversa-
tion he learned, through delicately asked
questions, even more of his real condition in
life than the latter meant to communicate;
and he still further learned that the mo-
ther of Doctor Grimes had been one of his
early friends.

“Will you be willing to take the place