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"Don't go!"

"Certainly not, if you do not wish it, sir"

Webster coughed gently, to show his appreciation of the delicate nature of the conversation He was consumed with curiosity, and his threatened departure had been but a pretence A team of horses could not have ht I ask, then what?"

"There's been a ," said Sam "At least, there was, but now there isn't, if you see what I , sir"

"Well, I--I--played a sort of--you ht almost call it a sort of trick on Miss Bennett With the best motives, of course!"

"Of course, sir!"

"And she's found out I don't kno she's found out, but she has So there you are!"

"Of what nature would the trick be, sir? A species of ruse, sir,--some kind of innocent deception?"

"Well, it was like this"

It was a co emotions, told it badly; but such was the alence of Webster, that he succeeded in grasping the salient points Indeed, he said that it reay Novelette, "All for Her," where the hero, anxious to win the esteem of the lady of his heart, had bribed a tramp to simulate an attack upon her in a lonely road

"The principle's the same," said Webster

"Well what did he do when she found out?"

"She did not find out, sir All ended happily, and never had the wedding-bells in the old village church rung out a blither peal than they did at the subsequent union"

Sahtful

"Bribed a traht hty she had been, his social status being considerably inferior to her own But, when she cried for help, and he dashed out froe, well, it ood tramp," said Sam, meditatively

Webster shook his head

"I really would hardly recommend such a procedure, sir"

"No, it would be difficult to htened

"I've got it! You pretend to attack her, and I'll"

"I couldn't, sir! I couldn't really! I should jeopardise my situation"