no BEGGARS ON HORSEBACK. 



fact that there was a fire in the stove crowded 

 out all deficiencies for the first ten minutes. 



The cold was clinging, inescapable, unbelieve- 

 able, at least for people who had come sweltering 

 up in light attire from a world where it was mid- 

 summer and behaved as such. The opening of 

 the stove was about as large as the lens of a 

 Kodak, and might have heated us through if 

 moved up and down our persons, as a painter 

 burns old paint off with a brazier. Failing this, 

 we had to reverse the process, and rotate endlessly 

 before that single, sullen glow, while from the 

 corner the twin malignity of the double eye- 

 glasses blazed upon us. 



" I thought I was goin' to be all alone up here 

 to-night," said a voice from behind the eye-glasses 

 — a voice of that class which, like Scott's poetry, 

 "scorns to be obscure," and proclaims its natal 

 Brixton in clarion tones. " I've bin kicking my 

 'eels up 'ere since five o'clock, and I cawn't say 

 it's bin lively ! " The speaker permitted to him- 

 self a dramatic yawn, followed by a giggle of 



