The Mystery of a Hansom Cab

ts, and casting deep, black shadows-a real Australian December day dropped by mistake of the clerk of the

the Block." Collins Street is to the Southern city what Bond

Way, the fashionable street of Imperial Rome, when Catullus talked gay nonsense to Lesbia, and Horace received the congratulations of his friends over his new volume of

e as charmingly dressed, and as pleasant as any of the peripatetics of those famous cities. As the sun brings out bright flowers, so the seductive infl

portly merchants, forgetting Flinder's Lane and incoming ships, walked beside their pretty daughters; and the representatives of swelldom were stalking along in their customary apparel of curly brimmed hats, high collars, and immaculate suit

Moubray, Rowan, and Hicks', turning over ribbons and laces, while the faithful Brian waited for

mount of self-abnegation to be becoming in him, it was difficult to drive away the thoughts of his pleas

articles she did not want, Madge remembered that

have I, dear?" she said, tou

his watch, "only thirty-a mere nothing, co

d Madge, her brow clearing; "but s

d, handing her into the carriag

stories-which every one considers themselves bound to tell from a sense of duty. I'm afraid I did keep you waitin

y looking at her pretty face, so charm

d to notice th

bourne Club. Papa will be there, you know," she said

ian, as the Town Hall clock came in

hin bread and butter isn't hard to prepare. I don't feel like l

all times," finishe

leasant talk drove away the evil spirit which had been with him for the last three weeks. Suddenly

at the corner near the Scotch Church, where a vagrant of musical tendencies

wered Brian, listlessly,

light coat could have been," said M

o know," he rep

now, Brian," she went on, "that he was dressed

tic tone, and as calmly as he was able. "He was dressed in the s

pped at the door of the Melbourne Club. Brian, anxious to escape any more remarks about the murder, sprang quickly out, and ran up the steps into the building. He f

eft the attractions of Collins Street

come to carry you off to aftern

y rising; "but, isn't afternoon tea

absently, as they left the room. "W

last half-hour reading," an

rket, I

hansom ca

m in surprise, he apologised. "But, indeed," he went on, "I'm nearly worried to dea

ttlby, as they descended the steps togethe

you wanted him to marry your daughter," but he wisely

in the carriage, and it was rolling along smoothly in the

, "until you and Brian came, and dragg

ge, "that I had to reward him, so I knew that no

f out of a fit of abstraction, "especia

this, and made

s," she said lightly, "I'm sure papa will for

"so long as he gets somewhere out of the sun. I can't say I care about playing the p

elf," said Madge mischievously, as, the

s he alighted and helped her out;

ther," observed Miss Frettlby, calmly,

early arrival of her lodger's guests, and d

kin', the fire havin' gone out, not bein' kept alight on account of the 'eat of the day, which was that 'ot as never was, tho', to be s

er the joints referred to belonged to an animal or to her sister's aunt

," said Madge, from the depths of a huge arm-chair. "I

Frettlby, cynically. "You can tell

adge, sharply. "I know plenty of me

rettlby, "for if I did I should be inclined to

Madge, and saw with relief that she was not paying

Mrs. Sampson and the tea-tray. "I wonder, Brian, you don't think the

rian, as Mrs. Sampson entered, an

every pusson-I ain't got nothin' but bread and butter, the baker and grocer both bein' all that could be desired, except in the way of worryin' for their money, which they thinks as 'ow I keeps th

cked up in his wanderings. He used it only on special occasions. As he watched Madge he could not help thinking how pretty she looked, with her hands moving deftly among the cups and sau

ked at his daughter, thought

ou two gentlemen are most delightful company-papa is sighing like a furnace, and Brian is staring at m

choly?" queried

with a smile in her pretty black eyes, "that you

, and, consequently no dreams. Depend upon it, if the four lovers whom Puck treated so

do talk," said Mr. Frettlby, with an

n, gravely, "a man who can't carry out that

. "I agree with Heine's remark, that if the Romans had been force

more agreeable t

table," finishe

ion for a considerable time, till at

adge consented to this, and she was just pulling on her gloves when suddenly they heard a ring at

ing, which I've allays 'eard as an Englishman's 'ouse is 'is castle, an' you're a-

y another man. Fitzgerald turned as white as a sheet, for he felt instinctively that they had come fo

ere Brian was standing, and placed h

, in a clear voice, "I arre

asked Bria

er of Oli

Madge ga

e said, wildly. "My

his wrists with a feeling of compunction, despite his joy in running his man down. This done, F

prison-perhaps to death; but I swear to you, by all that

step forward, but her f

rd voice; "there is nothing b

ashen face, but with a pr

I love him more now than ever." Then, before her father could stop h

ng down her white cheeks, "whatever the world

d moved away. Madge fell down at