After All;

" Remember , " he said , " to bring the crape I brought you with you , so as to be ready ; we must not give him a chance to discover us ; and , you know , it is fifty pounds in your pocket . So here ' s success , " and he sipped the wine before him , carefully avoiding taking more than would leave him with a clear head . " To-morrow night , then , " he continued , " and we shall test whether he

is a rogue or not . You know the meeting place . If this business is successful you may always count upon me as your friend . If ever you are in difficulties come to me , and you will find me a true friend . to those who stand by me ; " and , with an impressive " Good night , " he took his departure . Doubtless the reader has ere this guessed the actors in the above scene correctlyas James Bulliker and Mervyn Merrisslope . The latter was alread

, y entering the toils which were soon so to entangle him with their appalling intricacy that extrication became impossible . Bulliker was killing twohirds with one stone : while he was blasting the reputation of one he was undermining the stability of the other . Humberton was his first prey , and , after whetting his appetite with his downfall , he would compass that of Merrisslope .

The next night he had almost to drag the other to the office , that they might watch their unsuspecting victim . For three nig-hts they watched thus , and on the third night Humberton fell into the trap . Like hungry wolves they dogged his footsteps , ancl at the loneliest part of his journey homewards they waylaid him with craped faces , took away the money , and hurriedl y

decamped . Merrislope had no sooner committed his share of the cowardl y action than he cursed himself , and wished it undone , while Bulliker had very little compunction in transferring the notes to his pocket . To Merrislope ' s credit be it said , that the more he reflected on the crime the more he felt the sting of remorse . He strove in vain to forget it , or to think of it as a freak of the imagination , or something that had never occurred . ' When he arrived at home he took Ms share of the plunder and burnt itas ill-gottten goods onllikelto

, y y lead to sorrow , and little calculated , to aid prosperity . He could not reason with the indifference or malignity of his accomplice , Bulliker , that Humberton was guilty of the intention of appropriating the notes to his own purposes ; he had more faith in Humberton ' s sense of honour and gratitude . He had helped to blast the fair fame of an innocent man undeservedly , and for purely selfish motives . Little as he had exercised the higher faculties of his naturehe still

, was not callous enough to be able to think unfeelingly of the wrong he had committed . Now that it was too late he regretted it . How could he woo the pure idol of his heart with this stain on his soul ; a stain that meant treason to her happiness ? How could he offer her a love worthy of her acceptance , when he had already conspired to take away her joy ? Her very presence would constantly remind him of his cowardltreacherywhose results would

y , fill her soul with sorrow and indignation . Even if he triumphed to the fullest extent , he knew that he would be enjoying his success at the expense of Humberton ' s degradation ; while , in Olivia ' s soul , would always linger an incurable sorrow for her irretrievably lost and dishonourable lover—for such he would appear in her eyes .

Merrislope , we say , now that the crime was accomplished was stunnedsickened by the dastardly cowardice of his offence . It made him think , and the result was that he had almost determined to make a clean breast of the disgraceful affair , and thus reinstate Humberton to his rightful position , but he could not bear the thought of the humiliation . He at last endeavoured to quiet his conscience by Bulliker ' s mode of thought , ancl he attempted to drown his finer feelings by forgetting , if possiblethat such an event as the one

, oppressing him had ever occurred . But he could not , and his onl y hope was that time would soften the pangs of the unrepealable . It was now impossible for Humberton ever to be united to Olivia ; and Merrislope gradually brought himself to the conclusion that he could , by wooing her , in some measure repair