"I know, of course; but still one doesn't like these things. There's a young man named Prescott, who is in my office. I notice that he's constantly in your company; I've met you with him half-a-dozen times, and I hear frequently from others of his being with you." "What of that?" she asked, with flushing cheek; "are you to settle my company for me?" "Not at all--not at all; but I'm speaking both for your good and his. He's a young fellow of good abilities; but he's thoughtless and foolish, and, what's worse than all, he's poor. Now this riding about, horse-hiring and that sort of thing, necessarily leads him into expense; and from what I hear, he's going a great deal too fast. I hear all sorts of things about the young fellows who are under me, and I'm told that your friend Mr. Prescott is getting involved in money-matters; in fact, that he's mixed up in bill-transactions to an amount which, for him, is heavy, with a blood-sucking rascal named Scadgers, who is one of the pests of society in general, and government offices in particular." "Scadgers!" replied Kate; "what a funny name! Scadgers, eh?" "A good many people have found it any thing but a funny name, Kitty. Now, though I don't suppose there's any thing between you and Mr. Prescott--" "Don't you trouble any more about that; perhaps you've never noticed that Mr. Prescott never is with me except when one of my pupils is there too: now do you understand?" "There was no pupil nor any one else with you when I saw him talking to you in the Row some twelve months since; and he scuttled off as I rode up: however, I thought I'd warn you about him. He's on the downward road, and unless he pulls up, he'll come to grief; and it wouldn't do for you to be mixed up in any thing of that sort." He sat some time longer talking of ordinary matters, and rattling on in his best style. In every thing he said there was a tinge of attention almost bordering on respect to his companion, which she did not fail to notice, and which decidedly impressed her in his favour. Indeed, Kate Mellon never had imagined that Mr. Simnel could have made such progress in her good graces as he did this day. They never recurred to any serious topic until his horse was brought, when just as he was mounting she touched him on the shoulder, and said, "You'll not forget to keep me up to the mark about that business?" then, with a half-shuddering laugh, "I'm still interested, you know, in that young man's progress." Simnel wheeled round and looked at her steadily under his bent eyebrows. "You shall be made acquainted with any thing that happens, depend upon it. Adieu!" and he sprang to the saddle, raised his hat, and rode slowly off.