"I hope not, sir; but I must seek another situation somewhere."

     "In course!" he exclaimed, with a twang of voice and a distortion of features equally fantastic and ludicrous. He looked at me some minutes.

     "And old Madam Reed, or the Misses, her daughters, will be solicited by you to seek a place, I suppose?"

     "No, sir; I am not on such terms with my relatives as would justify me in asking favours of them--but I shall advertise."

     "You shall walk up the pyramids of Egypt!" he growled. "At your peril you advertise! I wish I had only offered you a sovereign instead of ten pounds. Give me back nine pounds, Jane; I've a use for it."

     "And so have I, sir," I returned, putting my hands and my purse behind me. "I could not spare the money on any account."

     "Little niggard!" said he, "refusing me a pecuniary request! Give me five pounds, Jane."

     "Not five shillings, sir; nor five pence."

     "Just let me look at the cash."