Will you help me--I mean, in this particular only ?' That was the substance of his letter.

For reply came an invitation to a house in the West-end.

With fear and trembling Reardon answered the summons.

He was so shabbily attired; he was so diffident from the habit of living quite alone; he was horribly afraid lest it should be supposed that he looked for other assistance than he had requested.

Well, the novelist was a rotund and jovial man; his dwelling and his person smelt of money; he was so happy himself that he could afford to be kind to others.
'Have you published anything ?' he inquired, for the young man's letter had left this uncertain.
'Nothing.