the little fingers. 'I wish the old days were back again, and we
were going to have tea together as we used to.'

Mr. Wyvern's face gave no promise of cheerful intelligence as he
welcomed his visitor.

'What is the origin of this, I wonder?' he said, handing Hubert the
'Belwick Chronicle.'

The state of the young man's nerves was not well adapted to sustain
fresh irritation. He turned pale with anger.

'Is this going the round of Wanley?'

'Probably. I had it from Mrs. Waltham.'

'Did you contradict it?'

'As emphatically as I could.'

'I will see the man who edits this to-morrow,' cried Hubert hotly.
'But perhaps he is too great a blackguard to talk with.'

'It purports to come, you see, from a London correspondent. But I
suppose the source is nearer.'

'You mean--you think that man Mutimer has originated it?'

'I scarcely think that.'