rer.

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Vy-they calls that thing murder-and ye gits scragged for it, and no mistake," was the reply.

"Couldn't she be kidnapped? I have done the trick before now-it's a handy method of disposing of a woman that's in your way." "Vell-I allow it is," replied the Pet."But it's mortal expensive, and requires a .ot of tin."

"I see clear enough how the wind blows at present; and before I drops my letter in the post I must add a little more to it. The job becomes a stiffer one than it was supposed to be at first; but for all that no money will be wanting to have the trick done cleverly. Now mind me, comrade," and the captain looked steadily in the Pet's face." My employer is a cove who won't be balked in the fancy he has taken to have a chap removed who is likely, if let live, ye see, to tread heavy on his corns. I knows my man, Ben— he'll go the whole hog-and the thing must come off though it cost five hundred-and whether the hundreds come down in pounds or pence, he don't matter this here blast of tobaccy," and the mariner rolled forth a volume of the weed which went curling upwards to the skylight.

brave man.

boring alley, and the fighting-man repaired to the bar-fire to place existing matters before Mrs. Huggins, and avail himself of that lady's experience and advice.

Such was the state of affairs at the Fortune of War, when the third quarter had chimed from the Horse Guards, and I was waiting, in no small alarm and uncertainty, the appointed visit from the little gentleman. Punctually, as the first hour after mid-day struck, a vehicle was heard turning into Craven street from the Strand, and in half a minute a cab stopped at our door, and after the steps had been cautiously let fall, the long lean fingers of the dwarf protruded from within, handed the driver his regulated fare, and then leisurely descending, he entered the hall-door, which had been opened for his reception. On this occasion the little gentleman had declined coming in state. Probably the damaged condition of Cupid's foot— if the term would be applied to an enormous extremity, which the boldest bootmaker would not advisedly have undertaken to encase in leather-had deprived the dwarf's equipage of its brightest ornament, and hence induced him to dispense with dignity, and content himself with a sixteen-penny setdown.

As usual, the little gentleman merely presented us his first finger on which to offer our obeisance; then placing his person in an attitude of repose in the library-chair, he drew forth his snuff-box, and indulged in a pinch of blackguard.

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Very happy to see you, sir. I hope—” "That you will be of the same opinion in half an hour," said the little fellow, interrupting the complimentary sentence in its deliverance.

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The emphatic manner of the commander, and the flattering account he gave of the resources placed at his disposal, were not lost on the fighting-man. The Pet, like most of "I cannot imagine any reason whatever, the fighting fraternity, was anything but a why I should feel otherwise," I replied; " I In point of fact, with great phy- and my young friend here, are quite sensible sical powers, Mr. Huggins was at heart a of your kind wishes, and you have made us coward. He had never fought excepting also a solid and most liberal donation. I am under decided advantages, or until matters certain that I speak the feelings of Brian, had been previously made safe by a pre-ar-in telling you my own--and I beg to assure ranged cross on his own side or on that of you, did an opportunity present itself, we his antagonist. But Mr. Huggins was also should both endeavor to mark our gratitude a sordid scoundrel-and, with an uncon- to our benefactor." querable antipathy to hemp, still for a proper Humph! and both doubtless in your consideration, he was not averse to under- own ways," returned the little fellow, drily. take any job which incurred penalties short" You would offer me Border hospitality for of strangulation. The reckless indifference a twelvemonth-I should be stuffed with with which Wildman had thrown money muir-fowl. and might swim in Glenlivet if I away, guaranteed the scoundrel's truth, when he asserted that he had a wealthy employer to call upon, and the Pet had little doubt but in money matters the said employer would come to time. The captain again requested to be left alone until a postscript should be added to the despatch. The Early One was dying "Frank!" he said in a whisper, "there for an opportunity to exhibit his person in its can be no doubt but that little fellow is the present state of high improve.nent, to the vi- devil. For heaven's sake! return what resiting circle of his acquaintances in a neigh- mains of the money. Holy Saint Patrick!

chose it. He would break anybody's bones I pleased, or chuck any private gentleman into the Serpentine whom it was not my good pleasure to have qualified for Guy's Hospital."

Brian turned pale.

Mr. Smith, Brown, or Robinson," I coolly answered," for it has pleased you to conceal your own name, and give me a choice of three-I have made a selection for myself, and altogether repudiate your agency." "And who may the happy fair one be?" "That-when I shall have ascertained that my proposal is accepted-I will freely" that for thirty-seven years your father has communicate, and not till then," I replied.

ceive his just inheritance, for none can gain-intentions, and to a certain extent, I shall, if say his right."

"You do but jest, sir ?" I said in grievous alarm.

"Not I, marry," replied the little man, "for I am his accredited agent, and therefore speak from authority. His feelings towards his own family are friendly-and matters between your father and himself might yet be amicably adjusted. He has formed no tie throughout a long and arduous career, to bind him-save one of friendship. "Tis simply told. Early in life, when destitute and all but despairing, he was plucked from the ground, stayed, supported by a stranger, and put into the path to fortune; when, after a succession of perilous adventure, he reached the topmost rung of that most slippery ladder. He returned to England. Start not-such is the fact. What found he there? He who had succoured him when friendless--he who had propped him when prostrated by adversity he who had pointed out the road to wealth, and consequently, to worldly advantages and distinction-him he found suffering from the infirmities of years, and the villany of pretended friendship-half desponding, half pauperised-with that maddening addition to his cup of misery--the thought, that through his infatuated confidence in a scoundrel, he had wrought the ruin of himself ay! and the ruin of one whom he loved with more even than parental love. What will Mr. Elliott's remembrance of the past point ont as his course of action? What! but to place his old, his tried, his faithful friend, beyond the reach of monetary embarrassment, and dower amply the daughter of that man, without whose generous assistance himself might have lived in wretchedness, and died a pauper."

"It is," I said, when the little man paused for the double purpose of recovering his breath, and resorting to his snuff-box, a most honorable intention; and were he the devil, or my uncle Dick--although heaven knows-and as Byron says-I most sincerely wish the latter

Ten fathoms under the Rialto,'

you request me, disclose them."

"You will deeply oblige me," I replied, "by doing so."

The little gentleman bowed, and thus continued—

"My visit to the Border was made at my friend's suggestion; not exactly to view the nakedness of the land, but to report on the capabilities of the family. Cæsar-like, I went, saw, and estimated accordingly."

"And no doubt," I added, " the report was favorable."

"Why, as favorable as in honesty it could be. Let me recollect-ay! I'll give you the outline," and the little fellow applied again his high-toast. "Your father, I described, as a chip of the old block-an honest, addleheaded, country squire, who would neither disturb the Royal succession, as by law established, nor set fire to the Tweed. You, I represented, as imperfectly educated at a Kelso school where, if you acquire a little Latin and less Greek, you are declared fully competent to rub skirts with mankind. I mentioned that nature had given you the usual quantity of thews and sinews--that you could traverse a moor--knock over half-a-dozen grouse without a miss--imitate the prevailing fly upon the Tweed to a nicety-and if required, as I believed, break a head as well as any of your progenitors. The world, I added, was to you a sealed book. On the Borders you might possibly get on, and neither run your head against a stone-dyke, nor walk into a peat-hole. But did you venture among mankind, then would you support the distinctive characteristic of the Elliotts. As heads are at a discount now, what nobody requires, everybody can retain; but as to the purse the only thing now-a-days to which any value is attachable--when such an article was in your pocket, I recommended that you should always be provided with a bearleader. Was I much astray in this opinion? You are silent. Well, let us refer the question to the decision even of your own particular friends, and I'll abide the opinions of the relict of Colonel Bouverie, C.B., and her legal adviser, the whiskered solicitor."

The last was the "unkindest cut of all;" but I held my peace, knowing that I was in the hands of a Philistine.

"Touching the lady portion of the occupants of Braestone Hall, truth enabled, and gallantry prompted me, to place a high and well merited estimate on their qualities, personal and intellectual."

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By Heaven!" whispered Brian, with flashing eyes, "had the little scoundrel dared to whisper aught against your excellent mother, and the dear young ladies, out he must have gone! But Lord! a flight from the first floor would do him no harm, for he would drop upon his legs like a cat.'

“Well, sir, having heard your personal report of my father's character and my own," never mind impulses of the heart; it's a may I next enquire, what may be this gentle- phrase only to be met with in a half-bound man's intentions towards us; if, indeed, such book from a circulating library.” a person does exist, who, after seven and "But, sir, my honor is engaged." thirty years undisturbed repose in ' ocean "And what's honor ?" caves,' rises from the deep to push us from our stools?" "

“Then, sir, when you lay your head upon the pillow, you may court repose with the pleasing recollection, that you have made a fellow being miserable for life." And I turned to the window to prevent emotions too strong for concealment, from being ob"To marry the daughter of his early he served: a hand pressed mine, I looked round nefactor; and thus the ties of kindred shall-Brian was beside me-and his flushed

"Then you will have an opportunity of sceing him soon," I said.

"I shall most assuredly," returned the little fellow.

"Tho' you decline to become my advocate, will you so far exercise your influence, as to obtain an interview with this dreaded relative, and thus afford me an opportunity to see and reason with him, before he brings ruin on my father's house, or entails misery upon me?"

"Humph!" grunted the little fellow, "what good can arise from an interview? You know my sentiments on the subject; and when you see Mr. Elliott, you are certain to find me at his elbow."

"Well, even with that disadvantage against me, I press my request."

"So be it then," returned the little gentleman; "but in common candor let me apprise you to expect nothing from your appeal to him. You will find him fixed to his purpose-ay, and as immovably as myself." "Where, and at what hour shall I wait upon the stranger?" I enquired.

"You will find him to-morrow at my house at two o'clock. Be punctual regarding time, for he is regular in business matters--and I have now nothing more to say. Is that sherry which I see open on the sideboard? Humph! You might have offered me a glass before. I hope when Mr. Elliott returns your visit, that you will display a little more Border hospitality to your honorcd uncle, than I, his unworthy representative, have experienced at your hands.

I handed him a glass of wine, and Brian presented biscuits, with a bow" that aped humility." His deferential bearing was not lost upon the dwarf.

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when I should have my interview with Mr. Elliott, he enforced punctuality by precept and example, took a second glass of sherry, bade me a good morning, and then deposited his person in the exploded machine waiting at the door, in a corner of which Brian was already ensconced, obedient to previous order.

I was sorry that the departed visitor had taken my young companion with him; for, in truth, any society at this moment, would have been preferable to my own. I found myself in perilous uncertainty. The dictatorial tone with which the little gentleman had hitherto affected to direct my course of action, had a sufficiency of the ridiculous mixed with its absurd pretensions, to amuse, rather than alarm, one who, like myself, felt himself a free agent, and knew that he had the power when he felt inclined, to cut short this assumed authority, and send the dwarf to Pandemonium-if that, indeed, was the place, as generally believed, from whence he came. But matters were seriously changed, a personage, whom none could ever dream of, had suddenly, as it were, started into being; one too, if the little fellow could be credited, and there was no reason to doubt his truth, with abundant power to warp me to his will, or make my recusance to anything it was his fancy to propose, the ground for pouring the phials of his wrath upon a family, hitherto blessed even to abundance, with all that renders existence happy. Wrapped in these gloomy meditations, a slight tap at the door was unheeded, and scarcely heard. It was repeated after a short interval. I ejaculated a harsh " come in," and supposing it was the servant to ask orders touching dinner, I continued at the window gazing vacantly on the street. The door opened, and a voice, that thrilled to my very soul, said in a sweet under-tone, "I fear I intrude on Mr. Elliott." I started like a man who has been sleeping, and Julia Harley was standing in the door-way, with Mrs. Honeywood immediately behind, aiding and supporting her favorite, while their contrasted figures seemed intended to imperso

Many thanks, young sir," he said, " for your intended kindnesses-past and presentI prefer biscuits to broken bones, and against dislocation of the neck, I protest altogether. I am not an Elliott—a race who, like skinned eels, are accustomed to the operation. And touching the prospect of broken bones, why no more of that, an you love me, Hal!' And now go into Whitehall, pick me a comfortable cab-none of your Patent Safety's-nate shadow and substance. but an old-fashioned and roomy cabriolet. Ride with me home, and without wasting time unnecessarily, I can talk to you on your own affairs."

Our relations with the dwarf were regularly Turkish-"To hear and obey" were synonymous.-Brian departed instanter on his mission; and, favored by fortune, he found an antiquated vehicle on the stand, which for the past hour every wayfarer had carefully eschewed, and in this "leathern conveniency," in a few minutes, he came lumbering to the door. The selection found favor in the dwarf's sight, and after repeating that two o'clock next day was the hour

"Good God, Miss Harley, of what unintentional rudeness have I not been guilty!" and I took her hand and led her to a chair; "I never dared to hope that you would have honored me so far."

"Mr. Elliott will no doubt be still more surprised when he is acquainted with the object of this visit. Circumstances exercise over mankind a stern and imperious control, and the act which yesterday we would have contemplated with a blush, to-day becomes a matter of necessity."

I looked at the pretty speaker. Her cheeks were flushed, but her lips were tremulous. No ordinary affair of life had caused this