answered Guy, coolly, "and the one I hold isn't yours. Good night!"

Lucy didn't condescend to answer, but closed her window with a jerk, as if to show how pleased she was to get quit of him.

Guy did not stop to conciliate her, but crept quickly along to his own room, which he entered just as the various clocks of the neighbourhood began tolling the hour of eleven.

A strong smell of burnt paper and tallow combined, saluted him as he went in. He had left his candle burning, and it had consumed itself away.

There was no other in his room, so he was forced to grope about and undress in the dark.

This he was not long in doing; and, as he laid his head upon the pillow, he could not help thinking that the day had been the most eventful he had gone through since leaving home.

He would have thought so still more if he could have foreseen all the results that were to arise from it.

CHAPTER XXII.

A DISCOVERY- -MR BINDWELL'S VISITOR-A MYSTERIOUS INTERVIEW SOMETHING WRONG.

WEEK or two passed after the incidents described in the last chapter without any further communication taking place be

tween Guy and Lucy.

The youth at first rejoiced that his strongly expressed resolution should have produced an effect so decided, that Mrs Bindwell did not even make an attempt to persuade him to break it; but with the common inconsistency of human nature, as the days went on, he would sometimes feel aggrieved that she should take no step to conciliate him or beg for his further assistance.

Not that he was less firm than before in his determination to refuse her advances, if they were made, and reject any bribe that might be offered to make him swerve from his duty; still, it was a little mortifying to his vanity to discover, after thinking so much of his capabilities and power to be of service, that she could do just as well without him.

When he had almost given up even considering

the matter at all, and had accustomed himself to the belief that further intercourse with the family had ceased, a little incident occurred that turned his mind again in that direction, and gave him fresh food for speculation.

It has already been noticed that since the evening of the quarrel between Brand the apprentice and Guy, a coolness had sprung up between them, which, from the total difference of their habits, was not likely to be soon removed.

Little opportunity indeed was presented for such a purpose. Although employed in the same establishment, they were rarely thrown together; and when business was over, Brand always managed to get out, and Guy either retired to his room at once, occasionally alone, and sometimes with Tom, or did so after taking merely a short walk by way of exercise.

A little while, however, after the last visit of Guy to the house, Brand showed an inclination to be more friendly, and once even went so far as to invite the youth to take "a glass of ale with him, like a jolly good fellow."

But Guy didn't drink ale, and therefore declined the offer; still, in doing so, he showed that his refusal did not arise from want of sociableness, but a desire to seek his pleasures in another way. Brand. seemed annoyed at his ill success, yet it did not prevent him using his efforts to conciliate our young friend.

Things were in this state when the incident alluded to occurred. It was nearly three weeks after the memorable night of Guy's adventures, and the youth, when business hours were over, had taken a stroll citywards, in order to make a trifling purchase.

On his return, while passing old St Dunstan's Church, whose clock at that period displayed two huge figures, placed one on each side the bell, armed with a club to strike the hours, he stopped, as was his wont, amid a score of gazers, to see the giants do their appointed work.

A voice and laugh in the little crowd broke on his ear as familiar to him; and looking more attentively, he perceived the face of Lucy, as she stood in the front row of the curious spectators.

The half hour after nine having struck, the crowd dispersed, when Guy observed, as Lucy also moved away, that she was not alone.

But who was her companion? Could he believe his eyes? They were not usually apt to deceive him, but yet he thought they must be wrong; for, walking beside the saucy housemaid, evidently on good terms with her, was Brand, the apprentice!

As they strolled on together, with his face occasionally bent down to hers, and her merry laugh ringing even above the rattle of the streets, Guy experienced, he knew not why, a feeling of jealousy and irritation, and found himself muttering, in an almost insane way, about his wish "to punch the fellow's head."

Scarce knowing why, he followed them in their road homewards; and walking just far enough behind to keep out of their sight and yet have them in view, he saw them shake hands at Temple Bar-Brand turning up one of the courts hard by, while Lucy proceeded towards her master's house.

At the impulse of the moment, on the parting of the two, he quickened his step to overtake her; but stopped short on asking himself the questions, Why he did so? and if he caught up to her, what he intended to say?

He hesitated so long to find answers to these queries, that she meanwhile escaped, when, in a very thoughtful mood, he betook himself to his own door.

This discovery of an intimacy existing between Brand and Lucy, gave him food for meditation, that lasted him the whole of the next day.

It would probably have engaged his mind for even a longer period, but that a rival interest was excited by another event, which, for the time, divested the former one of its importance.

The afternoon of the following day found Mr Bindwell and Guy alone in the counting-house. Mr Ruggles was absent on business, and Brand only was in the shop; for Tom, as usual, was out with his truck delivering parcels.

The master and his young clerk were alike busy and silent. The former was examining his ledger, the latter preparing an invoice; and the scratching