It was apparently rather young for Tom to marry and settle down, but he was, with his twenty-one years and experience, older than a good many people of nearly ten years advance in age. Some people look and are older than the calendar puts them down. I shall never forget a well-known military friend, who got into the army under age, in consequence of his old looks. He had a magnificent beard at sixteen, and looked as old as thirty. His brother officers in the mess used to swear that poor--was "born" with whiskers! Poor fellow! He afterwards fell at Lucknow. Susan still lives at the old doctor's house in Bigton, with the cheery Damon and the austere virgin, "Pythiasina," as she ought to be called. Perhaps when the cycle of cradles and pap and babydom once more come round at The Poplars, and little voices are heard in the grim old house--grim now no longer, but lighted up by Lizzie's presence--the daughter of the house may return again to their old home, and "Garge" be charmed once more with the presence of his dearly loved "Leetle Mees." She seems very happy in her present place, and has quite recovered from the shock of Markworth's death, and is a very different Susan from the girl of a twelvemonth or so back. The old dowager is quite changed, too, and is "as merry as a grig, God bless my soul," as the doctor says. She does not grind down the tenants so much now, however, and quite startled a farmer the other day by letting him off a portion of back rent, which he had gone up in fear and trembling to The Poplars to excuse himself from paying just then. And now, reader, the play is nearly ended--the landscape is completed. The prompter's bell rings, the curtain is about to rise or fall, it does not matter which, and the last touches only remain to be put to the picture, ere the public be admitted to the view, or the scene closes. In conclusion, it behoves the _Deus et Machina_ of the puppet show--the painter of the canvas--to offer some little explanation touching the characters introduced, explanation which will tend, perhaps, to elucidate apparent anachronisms with regard to persons and purposes, and acting like the stray _soupcon_ of Chinese white on the superstratum of the finished pencil drawing, heighten the effects of light and shade. An attempt has been made to portray the struggle of Will _versus_ Power, of Opportunity against Destiny; and to show the contests which sometimes arise between the worse and better feelings of our nature, and how each and all of us are often "Caught in a Trap" of our own making! It depends upon the reader to decide whether the attempt has been a success or a failure; and he or she can fit on each passion or feeling to the particular human peg or character on which they think it best should hang.