"Ladies, forsooth," thought he; "I know who they are. This preciousgirl that he is fooling with, for one, I suppose." He sometimes was right:Perkins was off on the wings of love, to see Miss Lucy; and she andAunt Biggs and Uncle Crampton had promised this somewhat day to come andlook at the apartments which Mrs. John Perkins was to occupy withher cheerful husband.

"Poor devil," so continued Mr. Scully's meditations, "it is almosttoo bad to do him out of his place; but my Bob wants it, and John'sgirl has, I hear, seven thousand pounds. His uncle will get himanother place before all that money is spent." And herewith Mr.Scully began conning the speech which Perkins had made for him.