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“advanced to welcome his new: visitor, whom he
received. in-his usual quict manuer; one of his
attendants: had just given hima loaded pistol,
whioh he’ held in his left hand—his right hood
extended toward the colonel) sis‘)
“T bave just been: telling Mowbray of ‘your
skill,” observed General Bouchier; ‘he can ap-
pwciate it; for he has no mean reputation aso
shot, I can’ assure “you, although it: is eclipsed
by yours!) or PG} ai 0 £
th he Indian smiled—he read in the eyes of his
oe that one of his calculatious had: failed
of
Ready Hy? said. “Captain: Herbert, who : had
fixed: the card, and withdrawn ‘a little distance:
from tlie target at the lower end of the room.:*
Without changing the weapon from the left
hand to the right, Meeran carelessly raised it,
and fired. »The gction did not interrupt the ob:
servation he was making at the moment; but
he concluded it without even turning:to ascer-
tain if he had hit the ark, 80 confident a he
of success.! iss, iytiell yee!
A burst. of admiration broke from the youn
men at the other/end of: the gallery; the ball
had ‘for: the seventh, time Pierced he very cen-
ter of the card.co on bts ie tae
. “Most extraordinary! observed: Captain Her:
pert handing the mark to his.uncle.’ **I should
_be sorry,” he added, with a smile, to ‘the suc.’
cessful;; marksman, : ‘ ito: havo: sa quarrel: with
OU! sad gene cexids ;
“Why so?" link ov,
“ Because in England.” replied General Bou-
chier, answering for his ‘nephew,’ my. dear
young friend, quarrels lead to duels!” thee
4t1 disapprove of’ duels,” observ:
gravely.i3 ys 1' of tos sr)
**Of course,’ ” said Lord’ Yarmouth, fon
moral ‘grounds ‘they. can. scarcely) be: justified;
_ but the usages of society—we are all its slaves.’",
4 Because we choose fo be so. !/For my part,”
continucdsthe : Indian, ».were I: to ‘accept! or
give'a challenge, one condition srould’ be: Jeces.
sary !? thi tas
“And what is ‘that, ‘my: ‘excellent young
friend 3" inquired Bouchier, : pach 92:
“The unblemished honor‘of: my, opponent.
I might‘ bring myself to:offer'a sacrifice-—never
‘ta perform. the office of executioner.” !
“* An executioner,” repeated the party. |- th
“‘ How else do you name the man, ” continued
the speaker, ¢f who! performs the.last. offices of
justice upon criminals? 1 know my ideas must
appear strange,”:hesadded; { but. in ‘India we
have these prejudices.: I repeat it: 1 could never
meet on equal terms any man whose honor was
not ag unblemished as my ‘own.” {
-# Suppose he posted you as av coward, ”-ob-
served Lord Yarmouth, *‘how would you act?”
“Expose him,”> suid: Meeran;:‘‘ and send a
bullet. througii the béart or brain of the first man
of honor who repeated the accusation.’? 7):
~**Perhaps he might offer violence," observed
Captain Herbert.
The eyes of the Indian flashed with, such fear
ful: brightness,i:that.: Colonel Mowbray—upon
whose ear every word of the, conversation had
fallen! like drops ‘of «molten lead—felt | that: his
cheek turned pale. cy
» + YT would rend him limb from limb,” he eX
claimed, ‘‘if the vilerparinh dishonored. me with
his polluting tovich!! (But-whilst we are, specn-
lating on improbabilities, gentlemen,” be added,
with a calinness-which contrasted too suddenly.
with his previous manner to be natural, ** tiffin
-~or lunch, as you call.it in England-is wait-
ing. (I will but remove the traces of our morn. |
jne’s amusement from my /hands, and follow.” |
The two fHinudvoo servants who were in the
galicry, on a sign from. their master, threw open
the doors, and preceded the guests to the dia-
ing-room, where a, table, spread with all the
luxuries of the! East, awaited 'them. Meeran
Hafaz and Colonel, Mowbray alone, remained
behind,
“* Cotonel Mowbray”. sgid his host; “with ter-
rible earnestness, ‘* you have but a few minutes
to decide whether. you take, your, seat- amongst
my ‘guests, or are denounced fo them asa des
tected felon!” i 3
“Felon!” repeated the agitated gamester,
“* What else call you the. man,” continued his
future. task-master,:!! who, obtains. by robbery
the property of another—a felon! n. thief!—a
mean, degraded, despicable wretch, wham so-
ciety, with all its vice, repudiates! -I believe I
have not used the term improperly.”
The cool man of the world was overwhelmed
by the inexorable logic of the speaker, who,
com ared to himself; was a mere boy.
toys rege
~ . . aay
HARRY-ASHTON! |
Meernn advanced directly toward: ‘the > door.
** Follow me!” he sai id.
Where?) on
{To the drawing-room?” continued the young.
:}man; ‘the dice! are’ still ini the: possession! of
Lord Yarmouth: he bas them. with: him ;) they
shall be broken in the presence of your friends,’
If they are not~loaded, there is: no ‘apology so
abject: that I will not offer—no utonement that
Team not ready: to make~fon my, unjust ‘sus:
picion: * You hesitate,” he added; ‘' one. thing
was wanting, 1° perceive, to complete your’ ine
‘| fumy—a lie! You have told it.) 1.
deadly pale. :: It was the first time in his life the
blistering word. liad: been !npplied to him, that.
he'had not washed: out, the stain in the) blood
of the offender. And there he stood, a guilty;
humbled, and detected thing—degraded below
even the ‘contempt of the accuser.»
“Spare me,”:he said; **it is the first time tho
name I bear bas been dishonored." 1 '>!
“€On two conditions,” replied: Meeran, coldly.
“Name them?’ Tit.
“First,” continued the young) man, °, “ that
you sign ‘a-wrilten statement of the disgraceful,
dishonorable means by which you won from me
large sums cf gold; and secondly! that.) you
pledge yourself. to assist me in the Project for
which I visit England.”
=“ Confession!’ faltered ‘Mowbray; “will not
: my: /promise—” ;
A cool, insulting laugh cut short. his words..
Promise?” repeated Meeran; ‘4b would’ as |
sgon: expect! to: find constancy in the winds, or |
fire in’ air, as.{trust the. promise, of .a detected
cheat:, you. must, write,”. he’, added, ,;ca}mly,
‘line for line, and. word, for word, the tale of,
your dishonor: blame yourself, if iv is the only,
pledge.left that-I can trust to,”: \/ ses;
M And this project?) oof sf) ain)
:“ Write!" snid Meeran,. sternly. tg
‘For,.an instant the ‘humble and detected.
With -a
suppressed groan of rage and mortification,, he,
seated himself.at the table, and traced upon the
paper a detailed acknowledgmest. of ‘his .guilt. .|
Vhen-he had finished,,with a trembling hand
i{ he passed the confession to tie youth,, wha read
eprefilly.or over: it was as complete.as he gould
esire nm
“Enough!” said Meeran; “but, ‘before you:
sign it, we must have/a witness.
Clapping his hands-—the corlental; manner of
-summoning,, his attendants—a , domestic ; en-
tered, of whom. he inquired if, his banker . chad,
arrived. The man answered in-the affirmative;
and;‘ia few moments, ushered into the gallery,
the \vell known: Mr. Coutts,, upon whose -house
Meeran had an unlimited credit from ;his corre-
spondents in India. ‘The young Indiaa received
him cordially; for,, with all his eccentricities,
the:shrewd; Scotch banker.was a man of jun-
bounded benevolence and. honor,
,Meeran ,thanked him for. attending. to ‘nis
request that he would, bring him. certain deeds
and: papers, ,, which , his, ‘visitor, laid ,upon..the
table; and added, that; he. must render the favor.
complete, by witnessing the Signature. of,.Colo;
nel Mowbray, The man. of, discount,, and, ac-
commodation assented, as.a,matter of, course.
Placing, a sheet of paper aver.the writing, the
youth requested, in his blandest.tone of. voice,
that the. colonel .would sign;,,the words were
polished and _canciliating; “but the look, which
accompanied them: was an imperious command,
The gamester felt that.there was no escape—
he was completely in his toils. | With a violent
effort, he, wrote his name, and dashed asjde the,
pen (The banker witnessed the signature—and
the trinmph of the Indian,was complete. ,
- Carefully, sealing. the document, in an envel-
ope.,he, placed it,in the hands of Mr. Coutts,
with a request.that he would keep it as a sacred
deposit for him; adding, by, way. of precaution.
thatit was to be given up only to himself, and
not upon. any writen order—no matter, who
might present it.
The banker bowed in token of compliance,
and the party adjourned to the dining-room,
where the rest of .the guests were. waiting for
them,
‘As they left the shooting. gallery, the colonel
whispe sred in the ear of his host:
“The dice!”
“ Fear not!” said Meeran; ‘they shall be re?
‘| claimed. Put acheerful face upon the affair,
and all will pass uususpected. It is as easy,
should think,” he added, with a bitter sneer, “as
am innocent!” he faltered,
smiling upon the man you call your friend, and
plundering him” : :
-The countenance of Colonel “Mowbray became :
gamester hesitated; but his eye caught the cold,,| °
‘| fixed; glance of his hard. task master,
[
|
;} you shall know,”
.-The gamester:bit his lips, and ;was silent!
Toward the close of the tiftiu, or-lunch—dur-:
ing which : the -wine. ‘circulated: freely—the iIn- ‘
dian excluimed,:as if; he only: then: recollected
the purpose for which he had invited his visitors:
By the-bye, gentlemenj:.my) wager~ with .
Colonel Mowbray. is not settled yet!) !
“What wager?” demanded several, salient
‘That. 1-do..not, shiyer.the, "dice, we Played
with Jast night;,each one at, a single shot,”
replied the young man. ‘I believe,” he added, :
turning: blandly to his host, of the,, preceding
evening, ‘* your, lordship has the Alice?”
*:Mecran uttered afew words i 2 Hindostanee to
the Khan, who replied only b nya smile, /.;'The ©
dice were, placed. jn, his. hand, aud. the, party,
retired once more to the shooting gallery.
»The ,Hindoo | boy,, who usually : attended to”
1
abc dyect
LordYarmouth instantly produced them: oe
}
the hookah ,of. the ‘marksman,’ /Was sent. for, .
Without the Jeast hesitation, he placed himself |
directly. opposite the target, holding his, arm.
extended, and between his fore-finger aud thumb t
pone. of the fatal’ dices
‘Three, shots were fired ;
by his master, and in e each Teport the morsel of.
vor ras shattered.) .., Me
o guests khéw not which to’ admire most,
me skil of the marksman or, the, _herve of t the ©
batt ‘T ttust, colonel, you tire Satisfied ™ observed _
éera ede
Perfectly!" said the guimester—wbo | could
.- net help secretly admiring the\tact with which?
his taskmaster Nd’ extticated! him from an em- °
' barrassing: osition—** dnd TY retary: you: the -
sum which I won last night.’" ae baad
‘As‘he! spoke, he handed:to Meeran. the late
amount,
n notes,’ which» lie: bad ‘so fraudue:
lently obtained: The Indian was'compelled ‘to 1°
receive them, although’ he felt that they were’
they passed:
Mowbray remained the last,2°9 7
‘| almost polluted » by the hands through which *
/ One by one his visitors withdrew: ; {
'«* Colonel,” ‘suid>.the: Indian, throwing ‘him!
back ‘the notes; '**{t is mot’my: intention. to de- »
prive you of ‘the frnits of: your tagentitty. . Keep :
tlié ‘worthless ‘price’ for which you burtered self.»
respect and honor!» Never hesitate, man,” added »
| the speaker, ina tone of withering: contempt; «
‘eit is’my-custom’ td pay liberally.”
it And what ‘service am I to render ™ demand. :
ed the hamble man, «/ 19 eset
“#6 When’ the hour and the ocension) arrive,.
said: Meeran: ‘Farewell, Ii
use, but do not-trust youl? “ells +: a
°As.soon us héwis alone; the speaker walked
deliberately to the lower end of the gallery, and.
fathered the fragments of the shattered dice in
nig hand..: He, was,examining ,them carefully -
when tue/Khan entered the apartment. ve
‘f Are, our, suspicions | confirmed?” ‘inquired.
the latter,, wed
*{Amply,” said his master, pointing at. the’
same time to a small. round bore in a morsel of
the ivory, in which'a. porfion..of the lead sul
remained, ‘* The dice were: loaded 1
» Oh
CHAPTER XIL, 02) 0"
[o'Tlow could i quit the world, where she, c
;Or Jost, or won, yas | heaven to :
M Loo RE'S Loces oF ‘the Angels.’
Wires Henry Ashton. arrived at the farm, he,
found the dame rocking herself, to, and. fro jn
her great chair, in such evident grief, that. his
affectionate , heart instantly took. the. alarm,
The manner of his’ uncle,was more composed,
but, \as. Joe Beans described it, ‘his usually.
florid, bealthy counteniince was very pale,’ The
old: farnier was seated at the table, porimg over
a utters. Once of twice hig nephew observed —
as he stood watchitig them through the ‘open
door of the kitchen—for’ the well: furnished
parlor was only, used ‘on Sundays ‘and holidays
—that the old man removed his spectacles to
wipe the glasses: his tears ‘had dimmed them.
“There, Maister Henry,” w hispe ‘red His com-
panion,.“.it, be jest_as I tould ’ec. «1 wonder
what, folks can write from furrin parts for, if it
make honest folks.so miserable!”
On asign from the youth, the speaker with
drew to the back kitchen, whither thé, dairy-
maid and farm servants had betaken themselves,
out.of respect for the sorrow of their master and:
mistress—for the worthy couple were beloved ,
by, their domestics. ,
Jncle,” said the youth, as he entered the
apartment, ‘* what has occurred?”
At the sound of his voice, the dame with-
drew the apron. from her face, and, starting