186 THE BOARDING-HOUSE. 



always fancied he had got a severe pain somewhere or other, and his 

 face invariably wore a pinched, screwed-up expression ; he looked 

 like a man who had got his feet in a tub of exceedingly hot water 

 against his will. 



For two or three months after Mrs. Bloss's first appearance in 

 Coram-street, John Evenson was observed to become every day more 

 sarcastic and more ill-natured, and there was a degree of additional 

 importance in his manner, which clearly showed that he fancied he 

 had discovered something, which he only wanted a proper opportu- 

 nity of divulging. He found it at last. 



One evening, the different inmates of the house were assembled in 

 the drawing-room engaged in their ordinary occupations. Mr. 

 Gobler and Mrs. Bloss were sitting at a small card-table near the 

 centre window, playing cribbage; Mr. Wisbottle was describing 

 semi-circles on the music stool, turning over the leaves of a book on 

 the piano, and humming most melodiously ; Alfred Tomkins was 

 sitting at the round table with his elbows duly squared, making a 

 pencil sketch of a head considerably larger than his own ; O'Bleary 

 was reading Horace, and trying to look as if he understood it ; and 

 John Evenson had drawn his chair close to Mrs. Tibbs' work-table, 

 and was talking to her very earnestly in a low tone. 



" I can assure you, Mrs. Tibbs," said the radical, laying his fore- 

 finger on the muslin she was at work on ; "I can assure you, Mrs. 

 Tibbs, that nothing but the interest I take in your welfare would in- 

 duce me to make this communication. I repeat that I fear Wisbottle 

 is endeavouring to gain the affections of that young woman Agnes, 

 and that he is in the habit of meeting her in the store-room on the 

 first floor, over the leads. From my bed-room I distinctly heard 

 voices there last night. I opened my door immediately and crept 

 very softly on to the landing ; there I saw Mr. Tibbs, who, it seems, 

 had been disturbed also. Bless me, Mrs. Tibbs, you change colour ." 



" No, no, it's nothing," returned Mrs. T. in a hurried manner ; 

 " it's only the heat of the room." 



"A flush !" ejaculated Mrs. Bloss from the card-table; "that's 

 good for four/' 



" If I thought it was Mr. Wisbottle," said Mrs. Tibbs, after a 

 pause, " he should leave this house instantly." 



" Go !" said Mrs. Bloss again. 



" And if I thought," continued the hostess with a most threatening 

 air, " if I thought he was assisted by Mr. Tibbs" 



" One for his nob !" said Gobler. 



" Oh," said Evenson, in a most soothing tone; he always liked to 

 make mischief " I should hope Mr. Tibbs was not in any way im- 

 plicated. He has always appeared to me very harmless ." 



" I have generally foitnd him so," sobbed poor little Mrs. Tibbs ; 

 crying like a watering pot in full play. 



" Hush ! hush ! pray Mrs. Tibbs, consider ; we shall be ob- 

 served pray, don't !" said John Evenson, fearing his whole plan 

 would be interrupted. " We will set the matter at rest with the ut- 

 most care, and I shall be most happy to assist you in doing so." 



Mrs. Tibbs murmured her thanks. 



