be pulled somehow. I leave that to you—but it must be, Stevens, so you need not stare so."

"Do you see anything in my face to lead you to think me a rascal," said Stevens, jumping from his chair with a look and action that would have intimidated one less accustomed to such scenes than his present visiter, who did not alter a muscle of his

countenance.

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No, master Stevens, nor a fool either," said Jaques, with the most perfect coolness; "so just sit down quietly, and hear what I have got to say; you'll find it for your good."

"Well, then, I will," said Stevens; "but don't propose any hocussing to me again, or perhaps—"

"You'll do it," interrupting him, said Jaques, smiling. "Now the thing is just this: all the world are hocussing each other, that is, all the world that have sense to do it; and those that have not, try at it. Your governor is a pretty good hand at it in some ways; but the world, in others, has been too many for him; he began the game a little too late,

that's all."

"More's the pity, then," said Stevens; "I wish he had made money a little sooner, and beat them at their own game."

"Quite right," said Jaques; "but you and I must look at things as they stand at present: now I dare say you have a great regard for Mr. Manderville, have you not."

Why, yes, I have," said Stevens, "and ought

"And I suppose," said Jaques, "you have just as much regard, or perhaps, a little bit more, for yourself, eh, master?"

"Why, I suppose I have, - that's nat'ral," said the other.

"Well, then," replied Jaques," if I can show you how you can serve yourself and do your master no real harm, you would not object to it, would you? I think you would be hocussing yourself and family, did."

if

you

"I don't like that word hocussing, Mr. Jaques," said Stevens, "it sounds professional."

"Well, then," replied Jaques, "to spare your sensitive feelings, I will say you would be doing thei injustice."

"Right," said Stevens; "now 'go in and win.""

"The true case, then, is this," said Jaques: "your governor is all but stumped up; his allowance has been taken off; his property is in old Levi's hands; and I think I should look rather genteel in the waist if I had to live on the produce of what your master gets out of them, for, mind ye, I was in Levi's office once as a running clerk; a man sees something there, master Stevens, that surprises him a bit, till he gets used to it; so I know what I am talking about. When things get into Levi's hands, they learn what sweating means, as well as your horses. Levi is rather severe in his sweats, yet his tits never, or very seldom can run out; they sometimes do try to shut up, but then he shuts them up, so they get no good by that. Well, now, to go on, your jockey was told I believe to win as far as he could."

"True enough, so he was," interrupted Stevens ; "and I guessed master would not have exposed the filly so, unless some dodge was going on, though he never said any thing to me about it."

Right," said Jaques; "and I'll tell you more; she is meant to win again. This brings her to the

CONVICTION AND CONSEQUENCES.

23

great stake she is engaged in. Now you know it is safer to put the pot on to lose, than to win; we can't make the last certain, but we do sometimes the first -eh?"

"Well, make your running, I'm waiting on you."

"Now then for it," said Jaques; "Mr. Manderville means to turn up the public. On this race he might and would win something handsome, but I know he can't keep up the game till then; he won't back the filly to any amount for the second race, so he won't lose any thing to hurt him by losing that. You will very shortly lose your berth; so if you don't put something handsome in your pocket in the mean time, where will you be?"

"Why, true enough," said Stevens, "I shan't even get placed."

"You made a pun there without meaning it, Stevens," said Jaques; "but you be guided by me, and you shall be well placed, with something handsome in your pocket into the bargain."

The ale and the reasoning combined were too much for the integrity of Stevens. The filly ran and was "no where." True, as Jaques said, Manderville lost but little on the race, but it stopped his chance of bringing off the great event as he intended, and by which he hoped to realise what would for a time at least have relieved him from his embarrassments. Failing in this, he saw his hour was come.

Manderville was not one to allow the water to close over him while a reed floated on its surface to grasp at. Trusting to his favourite but generally deceptive hope, that something would turn up, he hastened to the old resource, Levi.

On being ushered into the little man's presence, his

24

66

A JEW, A VERY JEW."

altered looks struck Manderville at once. No pressing forwards to greet him with the usual extended hand and bowing over it, but there he sat as though one of his clerks had entered the room.

"Well, Mr. Manderville," said the man of money, "if you want to say any thing, you must be quick, my time is much occupied just now."

"Well then," said Fred., affecting not to observe the difference of his reception, "if quick's the word, I have lost some money, and must have a couple of thousands."

"Not from me, sir," said Levi; "and I must further tell you, that the securities I hold on your property, I find it necessary to immediately make available to paying me back what I have advanced. Perhaps you are prepared to redeem them; if so, I shall be happy to listen to you; if not, you will perhaps permit me to attend to other business of more importance."

66

"Why," cries Fred., "you infernal old

"No abuse, if you please, sir," said Levi, with perfect composure, "or violence either; as, in the latter case, you will find that I am prepared with those quite capable of resisting it." A touch of the bell brought a man instantly to the door.

66

Any communications before the end of the week, Mr. Manderville," said Levi, "will prevent unpleasant measures, to which I shall otherwise be compelled to resort ;" and, bowing stiffly, the little man reseated himself.

"Heavens!" cried Manderville, "is it already come to this?— almost turned from the door by a sneaking Jew, a grovelling little wretch who lately thought my slightest notice of him an honour: curse on his tribe, for his sake."

LOVE AND A COTTAGE.

25

Fred. now determined to do that which, if he had done some years before, he would have been a wiser and a better man:-he resolved to sell his large establishment, dismiss nearly all his servants, and retire to a small patrimony that he still had, solely from his being precluded from raising money on it, under penalty of forfeiture. "Yes," said he, "with my faithful, my splendid Kate, I will leave that world in which I have lived, and, in the retirement of my cottage, her smiles shall teach me to look with eontempt on scenes with which I am now so thoroughly disgusted."

Fred. was destined never to do any thing that was altogether prudent: had he done all he proposed, with one exception, his still attached parent and friend would have hailed his resolution with pleasure, and have afforded him the means of redeeming his property, or to have still enough left for all the comforts and many of the elegancies of life; but retaining as his companion a woman of Kate's boundless extravagance, was alone sufficient to show that any pecuniary assistance would be thrown away.

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Kate," said Fred., on entering her miniature but elegant drawing-room, "my angel, Kate," I have bad news for you, news that distresses me more on your account, than my own,-I am a beggar.

"And a very handsome beggar, too," cries Kate. "Come, what shall I give you?"

66

Nay, my sweet one," says Fred., "I am not joking, or in joking mood: I am ruined."

"Then," exclaimed Kate, "I am delighted; I shall now be able to show you how truly I love you, and that I am in love with ruin!!!"

"Excellent wench, perdition catch my soul but I