A SOCIAL PROBLEM. 69 



The little man looked very white for some days, and 

 having got leave, went to Nice with his family. From 

 those southern shores come accounts of his mild occu- 

 pations, and his sporting propensities are satisfied by 

 the loss of a few five-franc pieces occasionally at Monte 

 Carlo, a diversion which he pronounces dull, for, as he 

 remarks, one soon gets tired of putting coins down on a 

 table for the mere fun of seeing them scooped in by a 

 fellow with a rake. 



But Crossley's recuperative powers were wonderful, 

 and the result of what he stigmatised as a howling 

 cropper, is that he has been able to take four hunters 

 and a galloping hack to Meadshire, and to set up in 

 a neat little establishment with Major Rawley, who 

 doesn't hunt, but likes to be in a hunting country, and 

 having suddenly conceived a deep affection for Crossley, 

 takes care to have an excellent dinner for him when he 

 comes home from hunting. Generally a friend accom- 

 panies him, sometimes two ; or the major has a guest ; 

 and after dinner what more natural than that they 

 should while away the winter evenings with a little 

 poker, ecarft\ or a few rounds of Nap ? 



Hard as Crossley was hit, I have no doubt that he 

 will pay up if you win from him ; but the chances of 

 your winning are not considerable. 



Not that I would insinuate that the two hosts do not 

 play fair. 



Such assertions should never be made without proof, 

 and this is a cruelly censorious world, ready to carp at 



