THE BUBBLE BURST. 107

with disdain, “ why am I to be overhauled as I was
by Miss Kendrick last night, as an abettor of players
and the very scum of the earth ; why ? I say, and I'll
ask it of any man!”

“Ask who you will,” returned Williams in an
agitated voice, “ but, for Heaven’s sake, begone with
you. You know that I mean to pay you honestly.—
I set out this morning to pay you.—N ow, for
Heaven's sake, I would not that Mr, Osborne knew
anything about it ! ”

** Will you pay me or not ?” asked Evans doggedly,
holding out his hand with the one guinea in it.

“Are you indebted two guineas to this man for
mischief done to a horse and gig hired by you to take
a player to Alton on Christmas-day?” asked Mr,
Osborne in an awful voice close behind him.

He saw that he was betrayed, and turning pale as
death he said not a word.

Evans, who really was not a bad-hearted man, was
sorry in a moment for what he had done, and began
to apologise—he could wait—he was sorry, only he
had been provoked, &c.

It was too late either to be sorry or to apologise.
Mr. Osborne again sternly demanded from his nephew
if the money were due—if he had promised to pay it.

“He makes that demand,” said Williams, “ but
the horse was broken-knee’d and broken-winded—”

Mr. Osborne cut his explanation short by putting
another guinea into Evans’s hand and bidding him go
about his business.

With a sad countenance Mr. and Mrs. Osborne sat
down to breakfast. Everybody were drinking their
coffee in silence, when a loud knock at the private
door startled them all. The next moment the Rev.
Mr. Goodman entered; and Mr. Isaacs, who had not