And down she sat by his side, and busied herself in arranging a bandage for his ankle, consisting of her own neck-handkerchief and otherwise making the sufferer as comfortable as circumstances would permit. Nor would she listen for a moment to his expostulations and entreaties that she would leave him to take his chance. When two individuals, both possessed of certain attractive qualities, are perched together on the summit of a highland hill, surrounded by a dense fog, and with every prospect of spending the remainder of their lives in that elevated situation, it is natural to suppose that their acquaintance progresses rapidly, in proportion to the discomforts they endure in company; nor, under the circumstances, do we feel called upon to waste much pity upon Melton Hawkes for his sprained ankle, his damp couch, or his other misfortunes in the wilderness, with such a ministering angel at his side to "stand by him for good and for evil," words that rang in his ears for many a long day. On the contrary, we perfect y agree with Lady Ricochet, that it was "quite a romance!" her Ladyship's exclamation when she discovered them, some three hours afterwards. by which time the mist had cleared away, and the party, who had been all that time collecting themselves, again got into order of battle. No one knew what any one else had been about, and Clan Pibroch had fortunately been spared all anxiety as to his daughter, imagining her safe in the rear, under the charge of Clan Scuttle's faithless old Highlander. Ponies were procured for the wounded knight as well as the rescued damsel, and the Laird's party-though not before Charlie had been sharply rebuked by Lady Ricochet, for missing a "stag of ten "made the best of their way back to Gen-) n-Pibroch, where "Blue Peter," to the great alarm of the household, had arrived hours before them. There never was a sprained ankle that took so long to get well as Mr. Hawkes'; the middle of September saw him still unable to shoot, and restricted-poor fellow!-to quiet walks and rides with Mary. The old Laird began to think "he was a soft chap after all," though, in his hospitable heart, delighted at his stay, more especially as his prime favourite Charlie remained to keep his friend company. This was the happiest part of Melton's life; but already the cloud was gathering below the horizon, and the storm was brewing by which his short gleam of sunshine was to be overcast. He ought to have been minding his business instead of taking his pleasure. Ile ought to have been book-making at Tattersall's instead of love making in the Highlands; and when Doncaster filled, and "the rooms were thronged with speculators on the St. Leger, Melton Hawkes was still at Glen-Pibroch. There is a species of infatuation which occasionally overtakes the wisest of men, but which has its greatest power over the mind of a gambler; and such an infatuation it was which now led Hawkes to set his all, and more than all, on a single cast. Sunning himself in the radiant smiles of Mary Mac Pibroch, he had neglected to fortify his book with the necessary amount of "hedging" till too late, and in an evil hour he resolved to absent himself from Doncaster, and "stand a shot' on the great event. If the Flyer had won the St. Leger, he might have retired from the turf upon his winnings, as, indeed, he fully intended to do; but the Flyer was beaten by a head, and those twentyfour inches made all the difference between a triumphant speculator and a hopeless defaulter. Poor Mary could never understand why Mr. Hawkes left Glen-Pibroch so suddenly; but that she disapproved of such rapid leave-takings was apparent from her pale face and heavy eyes on the day of his depar ture; many people think she has never quite recovered the colour she used to have. Glen-Pibroch, himself the soul of honour, never mentions the name of his former friend; but Charlie Travers, like a good fellow as he is, stands up for him stoutly, and swears he will pay every one yet. We were favoured with a sight of one of Lady Ricochet's eloquent epistles, received the other day by her brother, in which she says: "Rick" (meaning thereby her own lord and master)" Rick met a pale dark man at Boulogne the other day, who, by his description, I am convinced must be the hero of our last year's romance in the forest, your old friend Hawkes. By the way, I hear that stupid little Charlie Travers is to marry Miss Mac Pibroch-it really is too childish! though, to be sure, she will have capital grouse-shooting, and they might make a deer forest at Glen Pibroch. I saw her the other evening at Almack's -she has quite lost her looks." Far be it from us to impugn the veracity of her Ladyship's information, but we confess we rather agree with Clan Scuttle, who says "he shall not believe in the marriage till he receives some of the cake." - ERNEST ATHERLEY; OR, SCENES AT HOME AND ABROAD. BY LORD WILLIAM LENNOX. CHAP. XVII. They say this town is full of cozenage; Unwelcome visitors-Swindling extraordinary-An old acquaintance-A new one -The sharpers exposed-Tommy Gale, a character about town-Anecdotes of the Aristocracy. After a restless night, I was aroused at an early hour by the sound of voices in a state of altercation at my door. Rubbing my eyes, and still only half-awake, I listened to the keen encounter of the disputants. "You must call your master, Mrs. Collooney," said one, whom I recognized to be the head-waiter, " Captain Sparkes has called again, and cannot leave town until he has seen him." "And is that your manners, Mr. George, to awake a poor gentle man, who was up so late last night? I'd not be after doing such a rude thing." "Then I must do it myself," responded the other. "The Captain looked plaguy ferocious at me; and I expect, by his manner, that it is some affair of honour." Ogh chone! and, if it is, surely you would not disturb Mr. Atherley's repose upon such an errand. In sweet Kilkenny we conthrive to manage things differently-politeness is the life and soul of such maatings; and if masther is to be stuck on the daisies' at eight paces or so, what can it signify whether its an hour or two later?" Arousing myself, I quickly rose, and throwing on my dressing-gown, questioned the waiter as to the hour my unexpected visitor had left word he would return. "The Captain leaves town, Sir, at ten o'clock for Brighton, and said he would call here the last thing." "Very well," I responded, "let him be shown up into the sitting-room." In the mean time I made, or rather began to make, my toilet; for before I had half-finished, my acquaintance of the previous evening was announced. After the most courteous apologies for the unseemly hour at which I had been disturbed, the Captain proceeded to state, that as debts of honour were paramount to all other considerations, he had deemed it to be his duty to postpone his journey into the country until he had made a settlement with me. At this intimation I felt perfectly astounded, for I had the strongest conviction that I had left off neither winner nor loser. "By referring to your mems.," he continued, "you will find that I won fifty from you on the Count's last main; and- "here he paused. "Have you that sum down? you bet me the odds to a pony. Grossenknicker called seven-threw four, and landed it with deuces." I was compelled to admit that I had no memoranda; and was about to protest against the claim, when Sparkes proceeded― 66 When last I took the box, you staked one hundred against me ; I threw out with deuce ace; I was allowed a back-hander. We played double or quits, and I again was unfortunate. Fifty from two hundred leaves a balance of one hundred-and-fifty owing to you, which I beg to hand over to you.' The Captain drew from his breast-pocket an embroidered silk notecase, out of which he took two bank post bills, which he presented me with. In vain did I assure him that some mistake existed-that propably the transaction alluded to had been with some other of the party; but he resolutely maintained his position, and, with admirable adroitness, hinted that being himself under medical advice, he had abstained from wine, and that therefore his account was more likely to be correct than any other emanating from those who had indulged more freely in the vinous and spirituous potations. This argument was unanswerable ; and although I racked my still feverish brain to recal every occurrence of the past night, it proved unsuccessful. All I remembered was that, when my good luck deserted me, I drank deeply and played recklessly. After Sparkes's direct testimony, and the collateral evidence of his well-kept account, my scruples were removed, and I received the sum which I, at the time, firmly believed to have been fairly won, and which under a reverse of circumstances I should have felt myself bound in honour to have paid. My visitor then took his leave; and, after completing my toilet, I descended to the sitting-room, where Kate, all smile and sunshine, was ready to receive me. I pass over this most uncomfortable of all meals-a London hotel breakfast, with its damp napkins, larded butter, heavy indigestible bread, stale eggs, adulterated tea, diluted cream, greasy muffins, briny ham, burnt underdone mutton chops, raw kidneys, and cold gritty coffee-and proceed to express the delight I experienced, when my loved one playfully asked me what new surprise I had for her, as I laid a small red morocco case before her. "A slight token of affection, dearest," I responded, " and a peaceoffering for my bad conduct yesterday" "How kind, mine own," she replied, with the most winning smile; "what a beautiful watch and chain A thousand, thousand thanks, Ernest." Then rising from her seat, she took me by both hands, imprinted a kiss on my parched lips, and repeated her grateful acknowledgments. "Please to spare the Morning Post, Sir?" said the waiter, entering as usual most inopportunely, and causing the colour to fly to Kate's cheek. "You must come for it in a quarter of an hour," I rather sharply replied. In less than a minute, the intruder again made his re-appearance. "Please, Sir, there are two gentlemen below, asking to see you. Here are their cards, Sir." I looked at them, and found that my visitors were no less personages than Count Grossenknicker and Mr. Lorton.. "Pray show them up," I said "the acquaintances of yesterday's dinner. I remember saying I was staying at Nerot's." Kate rose to retire; but I requested her to remain, and at that moment the door opened, and the two gentlemen were ushered in. I presented both to my wife, and requested they would be seated without the slightest reserve. They both conversed upon the topics of the day; and the Count, with a tact and knowledge of the world which reflected the greatest credit upon his understanding, declared (when the watch I had won from him was shown), that he had never seen bootiful before-that it was vary magnificent"-and, with the utmost nonchalance, inquired where I could have possibly picked up so perfect a gem! von SO After a time I gave my wife one of those marital freemasonry looks so well understood between wedded couples; and she left the room. Again the waiter entered-first to take away the cruet stand; next to remove the urn; then to ask for the newspaper; during which time I was on the tender hooks of anxiety to know to what cause I was indebted for the visit. At length the Count opened the pleadings, by informing me that his friend and himself had done themselves the honour of calling to settle their respective accounts. Again was I thunderstruck. 64 We have just seen Sparkes," said Mr. Lorton, in a pointed manner. "Poor fellow, he is always unlucky at play. Before I had time to commiserate with the unfortunate youth, the Count proceeded to say that he held an I. O. U. of mine for a thousand pounds. "A thousand pounds!" I exclaimed, with a look of horror and dismay. "Yes," continued the German, in the most phlegmatic manner," here it is; and that zom added to the five hundred counters which Lorton borrowed from me for you, makes joost fifteen hundred pounds." "Fifteen hundred pounds!" I echoed. "Exactly so," replied my new claimant. "Here's the men. for the five hundred," chimed in his ally, "signed with your initials. I have also a claim of one hundred and fifty against you, which Grossenknicker entered at the time in his betting book." I looked at the two documents; and true enough my initials were affixed to both. I remembered having given an I. O. U. for one hundred pounds; but on winning a large stake, and repaying that amount, the Count had, to the best of my belief, destroyed it. I had also borrowed fifty pounds' worth of counters from Lorton, which had been replaced. For the first time the truth flashed across my miud that I had been made the prey of swindlers; and I was on the point of launching forth my opinions, when I paused to consider the situation I was in. I had admitted to Sparkes, who I now began to suspect was one of the gang, that I had kept no account; that I was not aware of the transactions that had taken place; added to which, there were two, if not three, witnesses ready to back one another, with nothing but my unsupported testimony against them. The two friends never took their eyes off me: watching every turn of my countenance, they were prepared alike for attack or defence. "You find it quite correct, Mr. Atherley," said Lorton, in rather a formal tone. "I troost so," remarked the Count, in a sharp manner. "Why, really gentlemen," I replied, "I was not aware that I was in your debt." Then, remembering in what a humiliating position I should stand, if, with such odds against me, I should decline to pay my socalled debts of honour, I continued-" But, of course, I am bound to take your assurance; and all I request is-time to meet this unexpected demand." "Votever is agreeable," said the Count, "vil soot me." "Any accommodation," added his friend, "will be gladly granted." "In the course of the day I will see Hawksley," I responded, " and you may depend upon hearing from me before night: he is arranging my affairs. "Das is goot," replied the German. "Satisfactory-very!" chimed in his satellite; and wishing me good morning, they took their leave. ,, "Arcades ambo (thought I)" blackguards both." To order the carriage, to request Kate to accompany me to Gloucester-place, was the work of a few moments. Soon after twelve o'clock we drove up to the door. Mr. Hawksley was ready to receive me. Hearing that Mrs. Atherley was with me, he politely came down to request she would walk in. This I declined; and entering his sanctum, I at once told him that I required three thousand pounds to meet demands, which, after a deal of coquetting, he advanced me, minus twelve hundred pounds, which he retained as interest for his friend Salomons. The autographs that I issued on this |