any way mr told him his usual dignity that he had honored the last bill received from the of the institution where miss strange was and that under ordinary circumstances another would arrive in a few days what did you intend to do with such a bill inquired growing hot under the collar i presume the natural course would be to send it to you knowing that i probably would not have a cent to meet it with that is hardly my business said mr besides excuse me are you not soon to be married it was difficult to keep from taking that old man by the hair that certainly is not your business said with spirit if you receive any bills for me hereafter you will oblige by them to mr who now has charge of my affairs it would have been less painful to the old lawyer had him was a former jo miss clerk who had of late taken quite a number of his best customers from him between the men there were the most bitter feelings turned several colors as he heard the news and his enemy was well fearing however that the bills for s might get lost between the rival offices mr was told to send word to the principal of the change in and he had also to be informed of the entire scheme by which was made to believe herself the of some unknown with the wisdom of a true lawyer mr did not look in the least surprised nor give one wink of either during the somewhat novel explanation let me see said please tell me my exact balance he had drawn very little so far and mr was able to inform him a second later that he had in the second national bank to his credit and then of course he added there are the you know all of them easily at any time nodded and said he had forgotten the exact amount of the latter when he heard that it was he came very near fainting in his surprise he had never dreamed of such a sum and wondered as he walked out whether he could really be worth so much to anybody as the seemed to think he went into an adjacent wine room and drank something to steady his nerves the liquor gave him confidence it went directly to his of self esteem in half an hour he had come to think good i that the value mr had set on him was on the whole rather low strolling across square he met who stopped him with an but by no means familiar smile i forgot to ask you said the lawyer how much i am to pay out on account of the lady who is attending the boarding school the lady exclaimed oh you mean the child that is a matter which i leave entirely to her teachers there is to be no limit whatever the disgusted mr could not bear to have the office triumph over his without striking back in some way thus far he had kept the secret of s real friend from every one not entitled to know his only questionable conduct toward had been letting mr into the exact condition of the young man s and him when his property reached its last gasp now he began to fear that the influence which his late had in the household would result in taking the whole of the s legal business out of his hands and conveying it into those of his hated rival with this alarm upon him he called on mr and revealed and after some urging all that he knew of the matter of the young girl the was unquestionably interested he heard the story with the utmost attention how did you happen to come to me with this he asked when he had the whole of it in his possession why you brought me to the notice of the miss and i knew you were high in his good will and confidence this is a matter that you ought to know now that the engagement of his daughter to mr is announced mr looked very thoughtful you know of nothing else between them he said come do not hesitate to tell me if you do i do not know of anything answered the lawyer but is it likely you understand the world yes yes i understand was the quick reply leave this matter entirely to me mr if you mention it to another soul it will spoil everything the lawyer promised and hoped mr would continue to be his friend with mr he said mr had withdrawn his business from him on account of his action in not him when his funds were getting low according to mr s request the promised to do all he could and the lawyer departed half convinced that he would have done about as well to remain away strange exclaimed aloud when he was alone again strange good god chapter xx miss a wedding tour is supposed to be a necessity in circles that expect to be dignified by he name of fashionable it may be to europe and t may be to a nearer point but it must be to some place at a distance from the homes of the happy couple to settle down in the house where they tire to live immediately after the ceremony that them is to the last degree and yet the son of judge and the daughter of did exactly this thing the time for the wedding was set with surprising suddenness to begin with the engagement it will be remembered was entered into with the on the part of the lady that she was to be allowed to name the day after he found himself in possession of a comfortable fortune paid in advance was not in the least haste to deliver the goods 