"Yaas? But it was all those bweastwy little bahds and the bells, you know; and it's only once a ye-ah you know, Lorton," he added. "So you will never do so again till next time--is that what you mean, Horner?" I asked. "Yaas! But, bai-ey Je-ove, I say, Lorton, my deah fellah, were the Clydes those ladies in hawf-mawning, eh?" said he, smiling feebly in his usual suave manner. He thought he had got hold of a grand joke at my expense. However, I was not in the least angry with him. I felt too happy to have lost my temper with any one, especially Horner, whom I generally regarded as a poor creature to be tolerated rather than blamed. "Did you ever hear, Horner," said I, "how Peabody made his first fortune?" "No, 'pon honah, I asshaw you, no." "Well, then, I'll tell you, Horner," said I. "It was by minding his own business, my dear fellow." "Bai-ey Je-ove!" he ejaculated, adding, after a pause, "Weally, Lorton, you dawn't mean it?" "I suppose," I continued, "that you are also just as ignorant again how Mr Peabody made his second and greater fortune, eh?" "Yaas," he drawled out. "Ah," said I, "he got _that_ by letting other people's business alone!" "Bai-ey Je-ove!" said Horner, quite staggered at this second blow. "Vewy amusing anecdote, indeed! Thank you, Lorton. Much obwiged, and all that sawt of thing, for the in-fawmation. Yaas, bai-ey Je-ove! And so I'll say good day. Good day, Lorton; good day to you!" and he started off, with a quick step, in the very opposite direction to that which he had been previously going. I went on homeward, with Catch following obediently at my heels. Which way did we go? Can you not guess, or must I have to tell you? How very obtuse some persons are! Why, by The Terrace, of course. Was it not there that Min lived; and might I not chance to get a glance from her love-speaking, soft grey eyes? Only one glance--and I would be amply repaid! I passed by her house. Yes, there she was at the window, attending to her flowers and carefully shielding a much-prized little maidenhair fern with a bell glass from the rays of the sun, which beamed as though Phoebus had mistaken the season and thought it a summer day. She saw me as I sauntered by, recognising me with a little nod and smile and a sudden heightening of colour; and came to the door. Of course I went up the steps and spoke to her. _You_ would have proceeded on your way with a passing bow? Oh, yes! "Good morning, Mr Lorton," she said. "How very early you are out to be sure! I thought gentlemen were always lazy, but you're an exception to the rule, it seems;" and her soft grey eyes sparkled.