and seemed anything but pleased to see George. 

 "Didn't know you came here," said George—"thought you went to the Plume of Feathers." 

 "I've given it up," said Gray. 

 "Best thing," said George. "It isn't nice to be seen going into a public-house, is it?" 

 Gray nearly choked himself with a piece of steak, and looked at his companion out of the corner of his eye. 

 "Smell of whisky here," said George, suddenly, eyeing Gray's glass. "They told me you'd signed the pledge." 

 Gray reddened, and affected not to notice. 

 "Better not go near the missis," said Early, referring to Miss Fairbrother. "Awful stuff to smell, whisky." 

 Gray was on the point of retorting, but changed his mind, and said— 

 "What are you going to have?" 

 "Nothing, thanks," said George, stiffly. "Don't come any of that with me, please." 

 "What are you talking about?" said Gray, beginning to bluster. 

 "All right," said George, darkly; "that'll do. What I know, I know." 

 "What's the mystery?" asked Gray. "You'd better get it off your chest, if it's anything important." 

 "It is important," said George, with a frown. "And what I would do is to advise a certain party to be careful. I don't want to do any spying, but duty's duty." 

 Gray changed colour, and proceeded with his steak; while George buried himself in the columns of the Daily Telegraph, and preserved a countenance of Spartan-like severity. 

 Having finished his meal, George coolly took out a notebook and proceeded to make a few entries. He could see that Gray was watching him narrowly, and he purposely endeavoured to put more secrecy into the performance. 

 When it came to settling up, George had some difficulty in finding the cash, although it was only in his right-hand pocket. 

 "Funny thing," he said; "I had a 

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