bundle of gold and notes that came to
me!"

My chest was heaving, my eyes, I suppose,
growing wild. There was the persecuting
perverseness! Why should I have
to listen to all this? Just to torture me.
Could they not let me leave in peace?

"Come," said one of the girls, "and
look at this great engine, the one that is to
take us. Do explain it to me."

Here was folly at full growth. I could
not be left in peace to listen to a dramatic
story like this—was it not what I always
proclaimed! Let any one look back on these
pages and find the proof there. But I was
argued out of it, hectored, lectured by
complacently pious people.

I heard him going on.

"I took out twenty napoleons and piled
them thickly about the lucky Zero, on the
square, on the corners, faith, in any way
that they would fit at all. Plastered all
well down. Round it went again—click, I
declare if it wasn't Zero again!"

My foot went down on the asphalte with
a stamp of agony. "I knew it;" I cried!
"there are instincts in these things, and
they are the fools who shut their eyes and
ears."

"I don't know about that," he said; "but
Zero is the boy, and I have always said it.
He sticks to you if you stick to him."

"It is notorious," I said; "but it is cruel,
scandalous. No one here can be let alone
—persecuted—worried. It is others who
cause all the ruin, not you."

"Not me," he repeated, looking at me
with surprise, "of course not. I declare
they took a couple of minutes counting and
paying me. I suppose I have all my own
back, and about two hundred and fifty
profit. Then I thought I would try again,
but time was up, so I came off."

The father smiled. The good are
always indulgent to success. He didn't
smile at me when I was miserable.

"Well, all's well that ends well. I am
glad you saved yourself."

"I wish I had stayed now," said the
captain. "I could have come on by a late
train. They said it was all going on the
low numbers."

"There now," I said, hurriedly. "Yes
there would be a run of high ones, with a
tendency to get back to the low ones, which
would bring up Zero again. It is certain—
morally certain. I have seen it happen
over and over again."

"Too often, my dear friend, I am afraid,"
said the smooth father, taking my arm.
"There's the bell, and I am not sorry."

I shook myself free. "My luck, my
old luck—the demoniac trap, just to get
me away at the very moment I might be
successful. Am I to be the only one
robbed—every one to go off laughing and
smiling, but me? It is the righteous
dispensation the parsons preach."

"Oh, what folly, my friend, this is! I
am ashamed of you."

"Then let there be one rule—let there
be fairness, even in this villany. I won't
be singled out for ruin, and despair, and
death, and let every one else escape. I am
not to be the only one robbed, while every
one else gets their money——"

"Take your seats, gentlemen! Mount!"

"My dear Austen, you promised me,"
said he, "you know you did."

I remembered my politeness. Thank
Heaven, it cannot be said I was so much
the slave of my persecutions as to forget
my self-control.

"I shall be very glad to join you at
Frankfort by the next train. I have indeed
been so hurried, I have forgotten a
dozen things."

"A wretched excuse," he said—"quite
transparent—that can impose on no one."

The guard was at the next carriage,
"banging" his way down.

"Mount, gentlemen mount!"

Was it some providence was calling to
me? "Mount—mount, for your life!"
But I answered, fiercely, "Do you wish to
insult me? You think you can speak any
way to one in my case. I would not travel
with you now if I was insured to win a
thousand pounds in gold. No; go your
way, and let me go mine."

He did not answer, but, turning away,
entered the carriage. They gave me a
soft imploring look. Then the door was
shut upon them.

"MOUNT, SIR! You are going?"

"I am not going," I said, coldly. Then
the whistle shrieked. I thought it was the
shriek of the despairing demon, baulked of
his prey. O fool!

MR. CHARLES DICKENS'S FAREWELL
READINGS,

MR. CHARLES DICKENS will read at Wolverhampton,
March 4; Manchester, March 6 and 8; Hull,
March 10; York, March 11; Hull, March 12.
All communications to be addressed to MESSRS.
CHAPPELL AND Co., 50, New Bond-street, London, W.