In Luck at Last

d, in accordance with his daily cust

t contained the information he looked for. It was his daily practice thus to try the locks, in hope that some day the safe, or the drawers, or the desk would be left open by accident, when he might be able to solve a certain problem, the doubt and difficulty of which sore let and hindered him-namely, of what extent, and where placed, were those great tr

peared, which looked round stealthily. Seeing nobody about except Mr. James

miral, Foxy?" a

okseller? In no trade, perhaps, can the truly admirable qualities of that animal-his patience, his subtlety and craft, his pertinacity, his sagacity-be illustrated more to advantage. Mr. James fe

ea with I

quired some effort to receive

o'clock. Why shouldn'

ind is poisoned against her lawful relations, and nothing will content her but coming into all the old man's money, instead of going share

forth, perhaps, by mention of the rum, which is a fa

nd nobody good enough for her to know. Not on visiting terms, if you please, with her neighbo

the young women looked meaningly at one another-as was also done in the case of Absalom-and the object of their admiration knew that they were saying to each other, in the feminine way, where a look is as good as a whisper, "There goes a handsome fellow." Those who knew him better, and had looked more closely into his face, said that his mouth was bad and his eyes shifty. The same opinion was held by the wiser sort as regards his character. For, on the one hand, some averred that to their certain knowledge Joe Gallop had shown himself a monster of ingratitude tow

. James, "perhaps Miss Iris wo

oe asked quickly. "Has he

r. Chalker has been here o

" he turned a beaming and smiling face upon the assistant. "If you should see anythi

e it worth his while, seeing that he got nothing more from his gr

at a dreadful thing it would be for his heirs if he were to go and die suddenly, and none of us to k

stant turned pale. "Oh, Mr. Joseph," he asked earnestly

use he already suspected the truth and guessed the secret hope and ambition which possesses every ambitious assistant in this trade-namely, to get the succession. Mr. James looked up

ow. You are to h

of forty weeping no longer presents itself as a form of relief. It is more usual to seek consola

may be made again here by one who understands the way. Oh, you are a l

The verb "to settle" is capable of conveying large and vague impre

money, to be sure-to coin money in. If I had this place to myself-why-why, i

of. To sit in the back shop all day long and to sell moldy

ficer concerning negligence, or impudence, or drink, or laziness-he had been charged in different situations and at different times with all these vices, either together or separately-caused him to lose his rating on the ship's books. However, he brought away from his short nautical experience, and preserved, a certain nautical swagger, which accorded well with his appearance, and gave him a swashbuckler air, which made those who k

James gasped-"shop furniture thrown in"-James panted-"and the goodwill for a small lump sum." James wondered how far his own savings, and what he could borrow, might go toward that lump sum, and ho

e has never said a w

y-five, and with all his money, why should he go

t positively trembled with

these moldy volumes all day? Come, that's too good. You might have given me credit for being one c

e known to few, so that, for instance, the quick, enquiring glance of an eye, in which one may easily read-who knows the character-treachery, lying, and deception, just as in the letter Beth was originally easily discerned the effigies of a house, may very easily pass unread by the multitude. The language, or rather the alphabet, is much less complicated than the cuneiform of the Medes and Persians, yet no one studies it, except women, most of whom are profoundly skilled in this lore, which makes them so fearfully and wonderfully wise. Thus it is easy for man to deceive his brother man, but not his sister woman. Again, most of us are glad to take everybody on his own statements; there are, or may be, we are all ready to acknowledge, with sorrow for erring humanity, somewhere else in the world, such things as pretending, swindling, acting a part, and cheating, but they do not and cannot

f you. But why not? Why not, I say?

s is, and how it might be improved; and I could ma

t. Sailors, you know, can't be expected to understand the val

and adds up h

up? Ah, and you've never got a chance o

ev

ly for curiosity, what they are and where they are. He sits in there and a

in the belief that the more you

the back shop an

the keys?

on the table before him.

ell, I don't see why you shouldn't have the shop. Somebody must have the shop; and it will be mine to do what I please with. As for his savings, he says they are all for Iris-well, wills have

s la

, though he throws

e all right then? Did you ever hear of a booksel

for that

d not said "all," but he grunted, and the other man went on: "It may come in useful, this recollection. Keep your eyes wide-open, my red haired pirate. As for the moldy old shop, you may consider it as

nned and rubb

ll, you'll wake 'em

ed again-he con

ph," he said; "g

r terms they shall be easy; I'm not a har

, because he observed a look in hi

e where the old man has put his money, an

? He won't tell me

e to a whisper. "He keeps the keys on the table before him. When a customer take

I kn

you, mate, stepping in with a bit of wax-eh? While he

dangerous,

dangerous-not muc

f service to you, Mr. Joseph; but th

last, if you come to danger. Do we, therefore, jolly mariners afloa

ing, that I'm to have the shop, as soon as you get it, at a

t you like, and I'll sign

et into trouble about it, Mr. Joseph, should you-should you-I only pu

then, do it this way. Send it me in a letter, an

istant

ot, perhaps, your way. But I think I can

When the roaring winds do blow-Hands upon it, brother. Foxy, you've never done a better d

loud! You don't know who may be listening. Th

f the best book-shop in all Chelsea. Well, keep your eyes skin

e what he had promised. "If anything dreadful should come of this? I

ean to insinuate that I am a thief, sir? Do

d as if he had though

pers, read them, and put them back just

again, and to

Mr. Emblem came d

been?" he a

Mr. Jo

ht Mr. Jo

ing a

her, "Mr. Joseph might ju

ance. One of the old customers called to talk over past bargains and former prizes. Mr. Emblem came out of the back shop with his visitor, and continued talking with him as far as the door. As he passed the table-James's table-he rested the hand which carried the keys on it, and left them there. James pounced upon them and slipped them into his pock

er a little search, and with a very red face, "he

way the jo