Walter

don't move!" Walter Merritt Emory said peremptorily to Daughtry.

For which reason, one morning at eleven, taking Kwaque along, he called at Walter Merritt Emory's office and waited his turn in the crowded reception-room.

But the quick eye of Walter Merritt Emory had not missed, in passing, the twisted fingers of Kwaque's left hand.

And here all swiftness of eye-flashing ceased on the part of Walter Merritt Emory.

Then followed the history and rise of the ancient and respectable family, in the usual terms; how it had been first settled in Cheshire; how mentioned in Dugdale, serving the office of high sheriff, representing a borough in three successive parliaments, exertions of loyalty, and dignity of baronet, in the first year of Charles II, with all the Marys and Elizabeths they had married; forming altogether two handsome duodecimo pages, and concluding with the arms and motto:--"Principal seat, Kellynch Hall, in the county of Somerset," and Sir Walter's handwriting again in this finale:--

"Heir presumptive, William Walter Elliot, Esq., great grandson of the second Sir Walter."

Vanity was the beginning and the end of Sir Walter Elliot's character; vanity of person and of situation.

There was a silence, and Sir Walter considered the papers before him with an abstracted eye.

Sir Walter seemed slightly amused at the pertinacity of the third officer, and perhaps even more amused at the slight accent with which he spoke, which rendered rather needless his boast about his origin.

"It is certainly an idea," said Sir Walter, smiling, "but what about the balcony?

Walters' voice, and the con- clusion of the speech was received with a burst of silent gratitude.

Walters' speech was finished, he introduced them to the school.

Walters fell to "showing off," with all sorts of official bustlings and activities, giving orders, de- livering judgments, discharging directions here, there, everywhere that he could find a target.