“Ah! Mr Lorton,” she said, after a pause, “life is very uncertain!”

“Just so,” I said, acquiescing in her truism, in order to keep up the conversation,—“but we cannot help that, you know, Lady Dasher.”

“No, indeed!” she sighed, rather than spoke.—“And that ought to make us more careful, especially on entering into life as you are now doing. My poor dear papa used to say that every young man should insure; and I would recommend your taking out a ‘policy,’ isn’t that what they call it? He did not insure his life—poor dear papa did not require it; but he always advised every one else doing so!”

“That’s what most people do,”—I said; still, I was thankful for the hint, and carried it into effect shortly afterwards.

While on the point of friendly congratulations and advice, I should not forget to mention, that Horner also had his fling at me, perpetrating what he considered a joke at my expense.

“Bai-ey Je-ove!” he said the very next Sunday when I met him outside the church after service. “You aah one of aws, now, Lorton, hay?”

“Yes,” I said.

“Aw then, my de-ah fellah, you mustn’t chawff me any mo-ah, you know. Dawg don’t eat dawg, you know—ah, hay, Lorton!”

And he chuckled considerably at his feeble wit.

Poor Horner!

Chapter Five.

“Love Lies Bleeding.”

CONTENTS

 What is my guilt that makes me so with thee? Have I not languished prostrate at thy feet? Have I not lived whole days upon thy sight? Have I not seen thee where thou hast not been; And, mad with the idea, clasp’d the wind, And doated upon nothing? 

Although Mr Mawley had expressed such a disparaging opinion anent my capabilities for official work, I do not think I made such an inefficient clerk on the whole.

I did not mulct my country of any portion of the hours appointed for my labour, pleading Charles Lamb’s humorous excuse, that, if I 

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