Dialstone Lane, Complete

give him advice suitable for all known emergencies at sea, together with a few that are unknown. Even Mr. Chalk began to tire of his pleasantries, and, after listening to a s

for whom he was beginning to entertain a strong partiality, and whose observations of Bincheste

said to his niece. "There

y out of window, said th

business, I understa

to her-when she had happened to give the

e's a young man that's going to get on; he's going to make

ntion, and she looked at him sharply as an almost incredible

ng men too fond of money

agerly. "If anything, he is too open-han

coming to see you," said Prud

the capta

s the girl faced roun

," concluded the cap

atellites, and ships responding to the lightest touch of the helm, he was venturing with all the confidence of ignorance upon the most d

p there," said Captain Bow

" remarked Miss Drewitt, casually. "They

imed the aston

ke Joseph? Why, you

ceded Miss Drewitt, "but I always

e captain. "There isn't a single feature alike. Besides, have

aid Miss

garded her closely, but Miss Drewitt

eyes, my dear?" he ventured, anxiously-

so," said his

veral admirable qualities in Edward Tredgold which he felt sure must have escaped her notice. The surprise with which Miss Drewitt g

y. "Chalk told me that he is surprised he has not been

s niece, with supp

late also that they should not leave Binchester. An admirer in London to whom his niece had once or twice allu

ds. The captain was out, but, encouraged by Mr. Tasker, who represented that his return might be looked f

t be tired of waiting?" she

t. "If you had been five minutes later you would have found

be," sai

I may," said Mr. Tredgold. "I'm very g

is voice that Miss Drewitt fel

ne me good," explained Mr. Tredgold, with much simplici

and said, "Indeed!-I am very glad that y

I've discovered for him. It's a Queen Anne, I believe; one of the best things I've ever

ldly, "but I don't think that my uncle wants a

it for your room,

room is full," said

Tredgold. "We tried to get a small table for it before you came, but we couldn't s

and wondered whether Mr. Chalk had added her to his

t for yourself

head. "You forget that I lost two pounds to

iss Drewitt, firmly. "Please don't

ppointed. "As you please

little. "I, should think that I saw the ghosts of dead and gone player

full of ghosts sitting piled up in each other's laps-there's no reason why you sh

," said Miss Drewitt,

notice-I had my eye on it for years; all the time old Brown was bedridden, in fact. I used to go an

irl, in a startled voice. "Did

ences of a collector, remembered himself suddenly.

idden now?" in

Tredgold, truthfully. "He gave up smoking a

witt, shivering. "He died

ng-" began

t understand why my uncle should have listened to your advice at all; y

act, it was intended for his room at

his mind, then?"

ut his lips quivered and his eyes watered. Miss Drew

elieve it,

lly. "I talk too much. I'd no business to let out about old Brown, but I

uncle?" inquired Miss Dr

own words," s

man before her. Her mind was full of subject-matter, but the politeness easily eluded her. She threw out afte

nd after a hasty greeting insisted upon his staying for a cup of tea. By a glance in the v

tea, by the series of nods and blinks by which the captain strove to call his niece's attention to various facial and other differences between his ser

tive listeners prevented him from discovering the fact. He described his afternoo

," he said, as he soug

til the sound of subdued but argumentative voices beyond the drawn blind apprised them of other visitors. The thin tones of Mr. Chalk came through the open window, apparently engaged in arg

" cried t

surly and reluctant frame of mind, and having exchanged greetings subsided silently into a chair and sat eyeing

you here," he said, pleas

d, with what Mr. Chalk thou

rally are here, I suppose,"

th a scowl, and a somewhat u

lk, turning to the captain. "He's done nothing

Stobell returned the courtesy with an odd nois

hat gentleman, "and nothing would

ow, that the ingenious Mr. Chalk was using him as a stalking-horse. From the fact that Mr. Stobell made no denial it was none the less

," explained Mr. Chalk; "he

Tredgold endeavoured, but without succes

id the captain

at's going to its first pant

alarming that he broke off and e

pantomime," said Mr. Tre

nce at Mr. Stobell to remind hi

id, watching his friend, "and

tically. "Has he tried shutting his eyes

turning a threatening glance on the speaker. "And what's m

Chalk, hurriedly. "The more Stobell thinks of it the more he

his brows and looke

alk reminded him. "You said, 'I've shown yo

e captain, with a

ether you couldn't give us just a little bit more

ne, "replied the captain, ponde

Mr. Tasker, who had entered with a tray and glasses, and sat staring at the

at the map?" he said, softly; "jus

hair to the table to preside ove

said, b

d, in surprise at the captain's tone. "You show

ptain, in a more gentle vo

repeated

r his harshness by pouring a serious overdose of whisky into Mr. Chalk's glass, "and it's

mptation?" repe

," said the capt

asped Mr. Cha

es," said the ca

have done it before. In fact, I nev

d at him in spe

captain, handing Mr

bit, and sat holding it in his hand as th

, and I suppose the match put me in mind of it. I took out the map and set light to it at Cape Silvio. The flame ran

nodded to Mr. Stobell. Mr. Stobell, who was just

ng to laugh at," he

ng," said Mr. Tredgold, in

aid the captain, geniall

," said Mr

od and surveyed them; even Mr. Tasker, who was gliding in

rphans and widows," he

ind him, breathed the rest to Dialstone Lane. A