PASSAGE IN THE LIFE OF MR. WATKINS TOTTLE. 



CHAPTER THE SECOND. 



" THE first coach has not come in yet, has it Tom ?" inquired Mr. 

 Gabriel Parsons, as he very complacently paced up and down the 

 fourteen feet of gravel which bordered the " lawn/' on the Saturday 

 morning which had been fixed upon for the Beulah Spa jaunt. 



" No, Sir; I haven't seen it," replied a gardener in a blue apron, 

 who let himself out to do the ornamental for half-a-crown a-day and 

 his " keep." 



" Time Tottle was down," said Mr. Gabriel Parsons, ruminating 

 " Oh, here he is, no doubt," added Gabriel, as a cab drove rapidly 

 up the hill; and he buttoned his dressing-gown, and opened the 

 gate to receive the expected visitor. The cab stopped, and out 

 jumped a man in a coarse Petersham great coat, whitey-brown neck- 

 erchief, faded black suit, gambooge-coloured top-boots, and one of 

 those large crowned hats, formerly seldom met with, but now very 

 generally patronised by gentlemen and costermongers. 



" Mr. Parsons?" said the man, looking at the superscription of a 

 note he held in his hand, and addressing Gabriel with an inquir- 

 ing air. 



" My name is Parsons," responded the sugar-baker. 



" I've brought this here note," replied the individual in the painted 

 tops, in a hoarse whisper, " I've brought this here note from a 

 gen'lm'n as come to our house this mornin'." 



" I expected the gentleman at my house," said Parsons, as he broke 

 the seal, which bore the impression of his majesty's profile, as it is 

 seen on a sixpence. 



" I've no doubt the gen'lm'n would ha' been here," replied the 

 stranger, ' ' if he hadn't happened to call at our house first ; but we 

 never trusts no gen'lm'n furder nor we can see him no mistake 

 about that there" added the unknown, with a facetious grin ; " beg 

 ye pardon, Sir, no offence meant, only once in, and I wish you may 

 catch the idea, Sir?" 



Mr. Gabriel Parsons was not remarkable for catching anything 

 suddenly, but a cold. He therefore only bestowed a glance of pro- 

 found astonishment on his mysterious companion, and proceeded to 

 unfold the note of which he had been the bearer. Once opened, and 

 the idea was caught with very little difficulty. Mr. Watkins Tottle 

 had been suddenly arrested for 331. 1 0*. 4d., and dated his commu- 

 nication from a lock-up house in the vicinity of Chancery-lane. 



" Unfortunate affair this !" said Parsons, refolding then ote. 



" Nothin' ven you're used to it," coolly observed the man in the 

 Petersham. 



" Tom !" exclaimed Parsons, after a few minutes' consideration, 

 " just put the horse in, will you ? Tell the gentleman that I shall 

 be there almost as soon as you are," he continued, addressing the 

 sheriff officer's Mercury. 



M.M .No. 2. 4 R 



