I quarrelled with my nephew about her, and now she's dragging my name through the dirt here, and I'll bet the story will go all over New Zealand and Australia." "Yes," said Mr.Tombey, "I fancy you will find it take a lot of choking; and now, Mr.Meeson, with your permission I will say a word, and try and throw a new light upon a very perplexing matter.

It never seems to have occurred to you what an out-and-out blackguard you are, so I may as well put it to you plainly.

If you are not a thief, you are, at least, a very well-coloured imitation.

You take a girl's book and make hundreds upon hundreds out of it, and give her fifty.

You tie her down, so as to provide for successful swindling of the same sort, during future years, and then, when she comes to beg a few pounds of you, you show her the door.