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DANESQ Uay HOUS F3. , g 3,
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cheek; his list was keen, and the blood trickled
down. The colonel was a close and intlinate
friend of Anketel’s. " Birds of a. feather iiock
togctherl’ Not very long after this f)(3l'iOd, the
two were caught out in a disreputab o transac-
tion-and then people remembered the words
or Viscount. Temple. -
Ahostilenieeting was hastily arranged; they
would go out with the first glimmer of the
dawn, and light it out, Sir Robert Payn was
theonly one cool enough to raise his reinca-
stranceagainstit. Duels was noslonger"in."
he said; they have been put down by public
opinion. Let them stop till to-morrow, when
they should be calm. and no doubt.Temple’s
words would be ex lained away. lie was drunk,
audnot responsib e tor what he said. Would
they go out like inadinen, and shoot each other
to blazes? Nobody did it now, but French stu-
dents at St. 0 r. or Austrian gamblers.
Sir itobert ayn’s words were wasted. his ad-
vice unhecdcd. All around were little better
than what he said, madmen; their blood was
tired. Earl Sandlin proposed to second Lord
gemple; and the ‘lion- George Eden, Colonel
roves. ‘
Itwascarricd out. With the gray break of
earl morning they started; Lord Sandlln driv-
ing is friend, and somebody else driving Col-
oueidroves. Others followed in the rear; not
niiniy. Eager, frantic, as they had all been in
urging it on, they were too wary to expose
themselves to consequences. even as spectators.
Earlsandlin had. first oi’ all, rocceded to his
home, Lord Temple with him. There the former
not his lstols, and each drank a cup oi‘ coiree,
black w th strength. The French call it cafe
noir. As they were starting oil in the dog-cart,
Lord Sandlin exclaimed that they must take a
surgeon. ;
“We shan’t findoneatthis hour,” cried Lord
Temple. who was new three art sobcred.
"Don‘t walt:let’s get it over.” t is probable
that he would be glad to escape it now, for his
wife's sake; but no possibility of escape present-
ed itself; no alternative.
"Ilmowa man who will do.” returned the
earl, “and we shall pass his rooms. He used to
boattachcd tothe -- regiment.”
A llttleturthcr the earl pulled up. it was the
place hespokeot. Aloud alarm was sounded
, on the night-bell, which brought forth a face in
a night cap at the second-iloor window.
" There he is; I could swear to him by his gray
whiskers. Halloo, Moorel putthat wlndowup.”
Accordingly the window was put up. and the
gray whiskers and the night-caplooked out.
" What's the matter, my lord ?" was the de-
manui,in a strong Irish accent.
“ Dress yourself in a, brace Of shakes, -and
come down and see. A live-guinea. job. Now
don'tbe an hour. He'd sell his mother for a half
a crown," added the earl to Lord Temple, " so
he won't wait to shave. Hc’s olten hard up for
asixpeuco; clever in his profession, but drinks
liken llsh. Isay. Temple lshaking ? "
" I amasiiold as charity ”expla.ined Lord Tem-
blc. “The dawn is keen. ,
No more was said, atlcnst by Lord Temple.
The surgeon came out, took lils seat by the side
at the servant, and kept up a running fire of
conversation with Lord Sandlin.as they sat back
tubaciz. The earl appeared to feel no more the
awful nature of the errand they were bent 0!!
than he would tiio going to a wedding; 110’ was
not of the feeling sort. What Lord Temple are-
liections were, we can not tell: but eertalnlygiot
' pleasant ones.
When the party. had discussed the place of
meeting. some proposed one place. some anoth-
er. One suggested Scotland; another. FFQIXCCS
another, Chalk Farm. Finally, Biittersea I4 ields
'. wasdecided on, Georgy Eden indiczitlng a spot
I!’
there “snu and safe.” ‘ .
f-hercl'01'e. Lgord Saiidlin dI?(3(:'CBniltiE?1r6F$1ulF(ge:Lgls(;
others were there before him ahd had brought.
another surgeon. No time was lost; the round
was chosen and measuredmnd whileLor Sand-
liii and Mr. Eden were conferring together Vis-
count Temple looked-roimd at the assembled
faces. His eyesrested on Sir Robert Pa.yn’s-on ’
its severe expression, betraying discontent at
the whole proceedings. He went up to him
and drew him aside. . '
“ Payn. if I fall. will you undertake to break
%zg9Pl’ny wife? You will render me that serv.
‘ Yes. Iiiopc it will not be necessary. This
has no business to take place, Temple. It wasin
my mind, oiitlioway down, to look out for a.
poll ceinan and have you alltakenintocustody.
You were a fool to get into this for that beggar
Anlzetel. But you had no right to say what
you did. -
“ Well-ii‘ I fail. you will soften the news in
the telling to Lady Temple. Do not let her
known the worst at once, Payn. It will break
her heart, I fear, when she does know it.”
“ And it’ it turns out the other way. and you
dispatch Groves, shall you make vourseit scarce
for a time '2 Or you may both fa l.”
“Both can not fail,” said ‘Lord Temple. “I
shall fire in the air.”
ll ll!
“ I shall. I have no quarrel with him i and if
I am to bescnt out of the world myself] will
not go with murder on my hand.”
“ It’ there were time I'd fetch a policeman,”
muttered Sir Robert to himself.
But there was not time. The antagonists
were immediately placed. and the pistols ilred.
Colonel Gruvcs‘s as surely as if he had taken
aim-Lord Temple’s in the air.
Lord Temple i‘ell.
The ball had entered his chest. The blood was
weliing out.nnd he in as one dead. Colonel
Groves. his second, am one or two more disap-
peared. Tiiey probably deemed he was dead,
and hastened to secure their own safety.
But Lor<l Temple was not gone: and the pull-
lnp: him about by the surgeons awoke him to
consciousness. They were both skillful men,
and extracted the bailon the spot. The lovely
morning sun was looking on them from the
horizon. as they dressed the wound. '
“Now, there are only two things to fear,”
cried Moore, when it was over; “ one is internal
hemorrhage, the other is the shock to the sys-
tem. I don't think we shall have to look out
for either. I believe he'll do well. Where’s he
to be moved to '2" ,
Lord Temple opened lils eyes. " Home."
“ Too far, my lord."
“Home, home.” be repeated: and the words.
though faint, were eagerly uttered.
“It may be done with care." interrupted the
other surgeon. "His mind seems set upon it.”
Lord Tern )1O made a. movement as it he would
have raised iis head. and his eyes sought Sir
Robert Payn’s. The latter read their anxious
expression. He leaned over him. I under-
stand.”lie said. “I’ll be off at once. Keep
yourmind easy; by the time you arrive at home.
she will be expecting you. This will be all
ri ht. I can see; only kee tranquil.”
gir Robert Payn drove cisurely to Lady Tem-
ple‘s; he did not hurry. for he thoughtshe would
not be ,, and did not care to disturb her ear-
lier than was needfu .
Lady Temple had not been in bed. Full of
"consternation, then of alarm, she had waited
hour after hour for her husband’s return. New
pacing the room with uneven steps new leaning
from the window, looking out for him in vain.
now givin way to all the terrors of imaginative
fear. ‘Wit the gray dawn. just as they were
win
? .-.-ow