than had no return. Ii I sit here thinking of him," snarls the old man,
holding up his impotent ten fingers, " 1 want to strangle him now."
And in a sudden access of fury, he throws the cusldoii at the unofi'ending
Mrs. Smallweed, but it passes harmlessly on one side of her chair.
" I don't need to be tokl," returns the trooper, taking his pipe from his
lips for a moment, and carrying his eyes back from following the progress
of the cushion, to the pipe-bowl which is burning low, " that he carried on
heavily and went to ruin. I have been at his right hand many a day,
when he wis charging upon ruin full-gallop. I was with him, Avhen he
was sick and well, rich and poor. I laid this hand upon him, after he
liad run through everything and broken down everything beneath him —
wlien he held a pistol to his head."
" I wish he had let it off ! " says the benevolent old man, " and blown
his head into as many pieces as he owed pounds ! "
"That would have been a smash indeed," returns the trooper coolly;
•' any way, he had been young, hopeful, and handsome in the days gone
by ; and I am glad I never found him, when he was neither, to lead to a
result so much to his advantage. That's reason number one."
" I hope number two's as good? " snarls the old man.
" Why, no. It's more of a selfish reason. If I had found him, I must
have gone to the other world to look, lie was there.
" How do you know he w^as there?"
• , " He wasn't here."
" How do you know he wasn't here ? "
" Don't lose your temper as well as your money," says ]Ir. George,
calmly knocking the ashes out of his pipe. " He was drowned long
before. I am convinced of it. He went over a ship's side. Whether
intentionally or accidentally, I don't know. Perhaps your fnend in the
city does. — Do you know what that tune is, Mr. Smallweed ? " he
adds, after breaking off to whistle one, accompanied on the table with
the empty pipe.
"Tune!" replies the old man. "Xo. We never have tunes here."
" That's the Dead March in Saul. They bury soldiers to it ; so it's
the natural end of the subject. Now, if your pretty grand-daughter — excuse
me, miss — will condescend to take care of this pipe for two months, we
shall save the cost of one, next time. Good evening, Mr. Smallweed ! "
" My dear friend ! " The old man gives him both his hands.
" So you think your friend in the city will be hard upon me, if I fail in
a payment ? " says the trooper, looking down upon him like a giant.
" My dear friend, I am afraid he will," returns the old man looking
up at him like a pigmy.
Mr. George laughs ; and with a glance at Mr. Smallweed, and a parting
salutation to the scornful Judy, strides out of the parlor, clashing
imaginary sabres and other metallic appurtenances as he goes.
" You're a damned rogue," says the old gentleman, making a hideous
grimace at the door as he shuts it. " But I'll lime you, you dog, I'U
lime you ! "
After this amiable remark, his spirit soars into those enchanting regions
of reflection which its education and pursuits have opened to it ; and
again he and Mrs. Smallweed wile away the rosy hours, two um'eheved
sentinels forgotten as aforesaid by the Black Seijeant.
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