Indeed, after he had once cleared his goods and chattels out of Pompadour Hall and settled them in a room in an Hotel, he had not given the matter much thought.

But he had given a good many thoughts to Augusta Smithers' grey eyes and, by way of getting an insight into her character, he had at once invested in a copy of "Jemima's Vow," thereby, somewhat against his will, swelling the gains of Meeson's to the extent of several shillings.

Now, "Jemima's Vow," though simple and homely, was a most striking and powerful book, which fully deserved the reputation that it had gained, and it affected Eustace--who was in so much different from most young men of his age that he really did know the difference between good work and bad--more strongly than he would have liked to own.

Indeed, at the termination of the story, what between the beauty of Augusta's pages, the memory of Augusta's eyes, and the knowledge of Augusta's wrongs, Mr.Eustace Meeson began to feel very much as though he had fallen in love.

Accordingly, he went out walking, and meeting a clerk whom he had known in the Meeson establishment--one of those who had been discharged on the same day as himself--he obtained from him Miss Smithers' address, and began to reflect as to whether or no he should call upon her.