Chuckster, bring in Mr Abel's articles.' 'You see, Mr Witherden,' said the old lady, 'that Abel has not been brought up like the run of young men.

He has always had a pleasure in our society, and always been with us.

Abel has never been absent from us, for a day; has he, my dear ?' 'Never, my dear,' returned the old gentleman, 'except when he went to Margate one Saturday with Mr Tomkinley that had been a teacher at that school he went to, and came back upon the Monday; but he was very ill after that, you remember, my dear; it was quite a dissipation.' 'He was not used to it, you know,' said the old lady, 'and he couldn't bear it, that's the truth.

Besides he had no comfort in being there without us, and had nobody to talk to or enjoy himself with.' 'That was it, you know,' interposed the same small quiet voice that had spoken once before.

'I was quite abroad, mother, quite desolate, and to think that the sea was between us--oh, I never shall forget what I felt when I first thought that the sea was between us!' 'Very natural under the circumstances,' observed the Notary.