28 MR. HENRY PAD WICK. 



alarming incident, in which a fair one was again a 

 borrower, though to his great delight it ended harm- 

 lessly. 



A necessitous Duchess called on him with her 

 casket of jewels, which, for safety's sake, she had 

 sealed with her own signet, which latter, in the 

 hurry, she had left at home. It would therefore be 

 impossible to see them ; but as the casket contained 

 valuables to the extent of something like £50,000, 

 her word might be taken that it was ample security 

 for a loan of £5,000 ; and as it was viewed in the 

 same generous light by Mr. Padwick, he advanced the 

 trifle. Time wore on, and the money was not forth- 

 coming as expected. Wanting it for other purposes, 

 the lender grew impatient at the numberless trivial 

 excuses made, and ultimately resolved to ascertain, if 

 possible, the nature of the contents of the box. Mr. 

 Padwick skilfully contrived to have just a peep, and, 

 horror-stricken, saw enough to convince him that 

 instead of jewellery, it contained nothing but small 

 brickbats. But here his self-possession was equal to 

 the occasion, for, carefully refastening the box, he 

 adroitly managed to get repaid, by holding out the 

 alluring bait, ' that at any other time her Grace could 

 always have double the sum on giving a few days' 

 notice.' I need not say that when the money ivas 

 paid over, he gave up the so-called security with 

 marvellous alacrity. 



Report credits Mr. Padwick with having had yet 



