Mr. Holmes rubbed his chin thoughtfully, and his nose also, for he could not easily rub one without the other. "Lord Thoroughpin" (a nobleman well-known in sporting and fashionable circles) was my last pupil, and he paid me two guineas a lesson," said he. And did he learn it all in one lesson ?" asked the squire. 66 "In three lessons, and with a good deal of practice, he mastered one trick," answered Six guineas for one trick!" cried the squire ; "but you'd do it cheaper in the country, would n't you? Hang it, no. I'll give up the idea," he thought too expensive.' 66 "Hexcellent!" exclaimed Miss Fillett; "I'll engage to puff up his conceit so, that he will make a hoffer in a week, if necessary.' "Ah, but it's not necessary," said Bagot; "don't you see, he'd get such a reply as would prevent him from trying his luck here any more, and there would be an end of the business. No; you must tell him to wait for your instructions, Kitty, as to the proper time for doing that. Play with him, Kitty. Tell him of remarks her ladyship has passed upon him, and make them warm or cold, as required; and the deuce is in it if you don't make something handsome out of him, besides what I shall give you; to say nothing of the fun of the thing. You love a little bit of mischief, Kitty, eh?" Miss Fillett did not disown the soft impeachment, but rather confirmed it by at once entering into Bagot's views, and accepting the bank-note as a retaining-fee, promising you herself diversion as well as profit in the businesa. Bagot stept out, when the performance was over, to have a little talk with Miss Fillett, whose cooperation he was anxious to secure in his design upon Mr. Dubbley. "Come here, Kitty," quoth Bagot, beckoning her into the breakfast-room; can be a sharp girl, if you like-deuced sharp. Now, it you'll just follow my advice, and say nothing about it to any of your gossips (the tongue, by Jove, is a devilish deal the worst part about you women) if you 'll be mum, and do as you 're told, I 'll make it worth your while. This shall be the first instal-story. ment, Kitty," displaying a five-pound note. Kitty stood before him primly, with her hands in the pockets of her apron. Mr. Holmes, having resumed the costume of ordinary life, and packed his stage-property into his caravan, together with his relations, now left the grounds, to disappear for some time both from the neighborhood and from our CHAPTER IX. Bagot having, as he considered, done pen"I wish to ask one question, if you please, ance the greater part of the day in ladies' Colonel Lee," said Miss Fillett. Is it any-society, resolved to indemnify himself by a thing that's not proper for a respectable snug dinner in his own quarters. young female to do?" "Bother!" said Bagot; " you know Mr. Dubbley of Monkstone, who 's upstairs now?" "I should think I did," said Miss Fillett, "and a saucy gentleman he is. I shall tell him a piece of my mind the next time he winks his eye upon me. No, don't mind him," said the colonel, grinning; "he don't mean any harm he comes here to make love to your mistress." "Ho, ho!" said Kitty, scornfully tossing up her head; "what 'Il he take for his chance, I wonder? Dubbley, indeed! Ho, ho! the idea's perdisterous, colonel." "Of course it is," returned the colonel; "but I don't want him to know that. For certain reasons of my own, which don't matter to you perhaps I've got a bet about it, perhaps I haven't-but, for reasons of my own, I want him to think he's got a chance; and he 'll never think so if you don't put it in his head. You can do that if you like. Kitty nodded. "I could persuade him anything," said she; "why, he ain't got the wit of a child in some things." "Of course you could," said Bagot. "Well, just you put it in his head, every now and then, that his courtship is going on swimmingly." These were situated at the back of one of the wings of the house, and were fitted up in conformity with the taste of the inhabitant. The furniture was comfortable, and adapted for lounging; no infernal humbug about it, Bagot said. You might throw your leg over the arm of the chair when you chose to adopt that position, without fear of a crash; and the legs of the table were not likely to give way if any one sat on it, or even if a convivial gentleman performed a war-dance thereon after dinner, as had happened once or twice during Bagot's occupancy. Some wineglasses and tumblers stood on a shelf against the wall, together with a case of bottles, so that there was no necessity to summon a servant whenever he wanted a dram, which was fortunate for the servant. There were some pictures on the wall, recording various racing events, on one of which Bagot had made what he called a "pot of money." Whips and spurs were plentifully scattered about, with here and there a stray running-rein, bit, or martingale. For literature, there were a sporting newspaper and a scurrilous one, and two or three volumes, one of which contained the memoirs of an illustrious woman, who has confided her love affairs to the public, and who, though never included in the list of popular authoresses, may justly be considered as belonging to the number. Bagot had known this Messalina in his youth, and used to hint that he considered himself deuced lucky in not having his name stuck in the memoirs, though it is difficult to see how that could have affected his character. To this retreat Bagot had directed a snug dinner to be conveyed-mullagatawny soup, grilled turkey, and a saddle of mutton- intending to get through the evening as well as he could in his own society, which was to him, of an evening, a dreadful affliction. He used to say that, though Bagot Lee was a deuced good fellow, he did n't know a more infernal bore to be alone with after dinner. On opening the door he was, therefore, pleased as well as surprised to see a figure seated in an easy attitude before the fire. This unexpected visitor was a thin, wiry, rather tall man; he had hollow cheeks, an aquiline nose, and a bronze complexion. His eye was greenish in color, small, and open, so that you saw the full circle- and was unsoftened by eyelashes, for he had none. The thin lips, being habitually drawn back, had created in his checks two rigid lines, reaching from his nostrils to below his mouth, and more strongly chiseled than his age, which was about thirty, warranted. He had a thin crop of hair, and a prominent skull-like forehead. The expression was one of indomitable assurance, self-confidence, and recklessness, giving one the idea that he was excellently well-pleased with himself, without having any great reason to be so. Mr. Seager that was his name was a fast man; so fast, that he had long ago outrun the constable, that functionary having for many years toiled after him in vain. He betted a good deal, and generally won; but his winnings, like the winnings of most knowing men, never seemed to enrich him. He lived altogether in public-at clubs, billiardtables, and race-meetings and thus possessed an enormous circle of acquaintance, at least two thirds of whom were rather shy of him. But this state of social difficulty, where he had, as it were, to hold on to the edge of society with both hands to keep himself in position, gave him far more pleasure, by employing his prevailing qualities of impudence and vigilance, than he possibly could have found in a life of ease and popularity. especially entitled to be called his evil genius, that one was Mr. Seager. Bagot looked up to Seager for the same reason that Dubbley looked up to Bagoton account of his superior sagacity in sporting matters. Not but that Bagot's intellect was just as acute as Seager's, but he had drawbacks which Seager had not. For instance, Bagot was fond of the society he frequented for his own sake. He was rather popular in it, and would have been sorry to risk his popularity by any act likely to lower him in the estimation of the world he lived in. In fact, though he had no very strong sense of honor, he had the fear of public opinion, which is perhaps, with the majority, its not inefficient substitute. Seager was careless of the good opinion of his associates, and only required their toleration, thus widening considerably his field of action; for there are numerous acts on which the world, whether the sporting, the fashionable, or any other world belonging to our social system, may see fit to express a negative disapprobation, without passing positive sentence on the offender. Bagot would sometimes lend money to a needy acquaintance who applied to him, not so much because he was really good-natured, as because he wished to possess the reputation of being so. Nobody ever detected Seager in the commission of any such error. In fact, Bagot, in all his transactions and habits, was under an influence that Seager, going among his fellow-men antagonistically, as a spy enters an enemy's camp, did not acknowledge; and so it was that the latter, strong in his concentrated selfishness, seldom met with his match in his own peculiar walk. "Hillo! where did you come from, old chap? What the deuce brought you here?" was Bagot's greeting. "I thought I should astonish your weak mind," said Mr. Seager, holding out his left hand, without rising. "Tis rather a good joke, my coming to a place like this. Sit down and I'll tell you all about it. Don't give yourself any trouble. I told them to lay the table for two. "Well, never mind telling me what brought you here now," said Bagot; "keep it till after dinner. I hate any bother just before dinner; here you are, and that 's enough. Gad, Seager, I thought I was in for a solitary evening. Mr. Seager laughed a little hard, grim laugh, and after a pause repeated it. However, there were some who considered him not a bad fellow in general, and, moreover, to be respected for his knowing quali- Excuse me, Lee, but I was thinking what ties. "Cool hand, that fellow!" "Devilish you would do if you ever had the misfortune hard to get over him!" such was the style of to be clapt into jail at any time (and not so encomium passed on him by his panegyrists, very unlikely, you know). Four bare walls, of whom Bagot was one, though without any a bed, and your own society. Damme, Lee, great reason; for if among the numerous you'd go stark staring mad in a fortnight's mischievous spirits that accompanied poor solitary. I'll take you seven to four you'd Bagot in his career through life, any one was be a lunatic in thirteen days." .. "Stop that!" said Bagot, from the inner goons were coming to Doddington. Now, I room, where he had gone to wash his hands; knew the regiment some years back, when I shall be obliged to you to find something they used to shake their elbows a little" pleasant to talk about;" and he growled out (imitating the motion of rattling a dice-box), something not very flattering to Mr. Seager's" and it struck me I might live at free quartact in his choice of topics in general, but which was lost in the noise he made in the washing-basin. "What sort of a book have you made for the next event?" "Capital!" said Seager, with another little hard laugh. "I may win seven thousand, and I can't lose more than a pony, let things go as bad as they like. Good men, too-Broughton gave me fifty to one in twenties against Titbury when he was an outsider." "Lucky beggar!" said Bagot, arranging his coat and sitting down, as the dinner was placed on the table. "If I could afford it, I'd give you a thousand a year to make my book for me and I don't consider myself a bad hand either. And how about the match with my lord ?" "Beat him, of course," said Seager; "'t was the best of eleven games, you know. Now, I think, out of the eleven I could have won nine if I chose, but I let him run away with five, and only won the match by a run of thirteen off the balls; consequence is, he 's all anxiety for another trial." ters with you, and perhaps do a little business with the bones" (Anglice, dice), "at the same time. So here I am for a day or two, at any rate and to-morrow we 'll knock up those fellows' quarters." "A deuced good move," said Bagot," and one I was intending to make myself. I dine with them to-morrow, and so shall you. Take some sherry, my boy!" When dinner was removed, both drew their chairs up to the fire, and helped themselves to a few glasses of wine, by way of formality, before setting into serious drinking. Both lit their cigars; but first Bagot rose, and, unlocking a drawer, came back with a bundle of notes, some of which he selected, and handed them across to his companion, saying "There 's your money; now let's have no more cursed dunning." Mr. Seager was pleasantly surprised, for he had not expected such prompt and satisfactory payment. His inquiries drew from Bagot (who was rather proud of his own shrewdness, and anxious for the approbation of so good a judge as Seager) an account of the mode in which he had obtained the sup "In which, of course, you won't gratify him, on any account, ," said Bagot, chuck-ply. ling. "I'm affecting shy at present," said Seager. "Told him 't was all luck, and he could give me points. I really should n't wonder if I got odds from him in the end. His conceit of his own play is ridiculous, you know." "If you don't take that out of him, he 's incurable," said Bagot. "Did you make a pretty good thing of it?" 66 Pretty well," returned Seager. "He paid up like a trump, and not before 't was wanted, I can tell you, for I was precious hard up. By the by, Lee, I'm afraid I must dun you for that hundred and fifty." "Can't you be quiet till after dinner?" growled Bagot, laying down his knife and fork, highly disgusted. "I vow to gad 't is enough to convert one's victuals into poison, to be reminded of such infernal matters just when one is beginning to feel a little comfortable." "Quite right, old fellow-I apologize. We will, as you say, postpone the subject, especially as that was n't the only cause of my coming. You must know I was considering the other night, at the club, what part of the country I should favor with my presence for a few weeks; for, owing to certain reasons, town was getting too hot for me; and, happening to take up the paper, I stumbled on a paragraph stating that theth dra Seager sat for a little while silent, smoking vigorously. Bagot had presented him with a congenial subject for thought. Presently he asked "Is this the only time you 've tried the dodge?" "Why, 't is the only chance I've had," answered Bagot. "One does n't meet with rich greenhorns like Dubbley every day." "You must trot her ladyship out a little," quoth Seager. "By Jove, old fellow, with such cards in your hand, you ought to make a good thing of it; but you'll want a friend to help you. A man like Dubbley may be managed single-handed, but two will be better another time. I'm your man. In the first place, there must be a little puffing-rich widow, great beauty, and all that sort of thing, in the George Robins style - which you could n't do yourself with decency. As I said, I'm your man, and you must do as much for me another time. When I want a man to pull the strings and set the machinery going, I shall look to you." Bagot made no direct reply, not caring to entertain the subject, which (though Seager's suggestions harmonized exactly with his own ideas on it) wore, certainly, rather a dirty aspect, when deliberately discussed. However, he thought there was, after all, no greater harm in borrowing money on these grounds than on any other; for Bagot-like all men living beyond their means, who are Seager proposed a hand at écarté — and they accordingly commenced playing. Bagot, when his head was quite clear which it seldom was at this hour of the evening — played very well; but he never was a match for Seager, all whose soul, or instincts rather, were absorbed in the game. There was something feline in the expression of his hard, unwinking eye, so round and bare of eyelashes, as it darted from his own cards to those which his adversary played out on the table; while his mouth was retracted, and fixed in a grim half-smile. Winning or losing, his face wore the same watchful lookwhereas Bagot 's frown would deepen to a scowl over a bad hand; and, when fortune favored him, he would rap down a succession of winning cards with somewhat boisterous exultation. At length Bagot 's potations, which were not in the least interrupted by the game, rendered the cards somewhat misty and obscure to his sight. After having twice discarded his best trumps, and forgotten to mark the king, he threw down his hand, and pushed his chair away from the table. Come, one game more!" said Seager. "No, sir!" said Bagot, sternly; "no, sir! I've had enough of it, sir!" "Strong as a lion," said Bagot; "and I'm glad of it. He's a good little chap, and I don't wish him any harm; but you must admit it was enough to try a fellow's temper to find one 's self cut out for the sake of a mewling soft-faced thing in petticoats. T was done while I was in France, or I should have Seager perceived that Bagot had reached tried to stop it. However, Joe was so much the turning-point in his drink, and was passyounger than me, that I never expected to ing into the ferocious and quarrelsome stage, outlive him. "T is since the poor fellow's as he was always pretty sure to do after losdeath that I've been most vexed by the thought of what I've been done out of." "Gad!" said Seager, "after that, you need n't trouble yourself to state your special objections to her. If she was the finest woman that ever stept, I consider it your duty to hate her like the devil." "Besides," said Bagot, "she 's as proud as Lucifer, and deuced sarcastic. You've no idea what I've got to put up with from her. If I was n't a good-tempered fellow, I should tell her my mind pretty plainly. As it is I can hardly help flaring up sometimes." "Don't do anything of the sort," said Seager; "you can do much better by keeping on good terins with her. If I were in your place, now, every time she offended me I'd put it in my pocket, and console myself with the thought of paying her off in a more profitable fashion than quarrelling. However, I'm glad to find that you 'll be quite justified in considering your own interest only in connection with her. Damme, Lee, if I think she 's entitled to the smallest consideration." Bagot shook his head revengefully, and breathed hard. Between Seager's speeches and his own potations, he saw his wrongs through a more inflammatory medium than usual. His wrath seemed to make him thirsty, too, for his tumbler now began to be refilled with great frequency. Presently ing. Well, leave it alone, then!" said Seager. "I shall leave it alone, sir, or I shall not leave it alone," said Bagot, thickly, and with increased sternness and dignity. "I shall do exactly what I see fit, sir. Understand that I shall exercise my own discretion on that point, sir! and on every other, sir — every other, sir!" 66 Well, don't be savage, old fellow," said Seager. "I shall be savage, sir, or I shall not be savage, as I shall consider best!" returned the uncompromising Bagot, letting his voice slip into falsetto at every other syllable. "You've won your money, sir, and that 's enough for you! Never mind, sir!" "You 're a pleasant old boy," said Seager, settling himself comfortably in his arm-chair. "I think I'll smoke a cigar." Bagot mixed another tumbler of grog, breathing hard all the time. Seager was accustomed to his little irregularities of temper about this hour of the night, and didn't take much notice of him. Presently Bagot commenced again. "Old boy!" repeated Bagot, slowly, and with utterance not the most fluent; "will you have the goodness, sir, to inform me who you called old boy? Might I request information on that point, sir?" The dignity with which this question was put was not to behold, and glaring on Seager said "You surpassed. shall hear from me, sir, through a friend, in the morning after which he disappeared, and was presently heard snoring heavily. "Never mind, old fellow," said Seager, puffing away at his cigar, "you shall be as young as you like.' me 66 Shocking old fool when he's screwed," said Seager, throwing his cigar into the fire, and going off to his bedroom, where he slept comfortably and quietly; while poor Bagot, the victim of a troop of nightmares, puffed and gasped the livelong night, through his hot, parched, open mouth, in a slumber that looked not very unlike strangulation. "No, sir," said Bagot, rapping slowly on the table with his knuckles, and glaring at the stopper of the decanter before him as if it were the offending party. "No, sir. -excuse -I shall not be as young as I like; I shall be no younger than I am, sir, at your bidding, nor at any other person's-not an hour, sir!-not an hour, sir!" repeated The next morning Bagot submitted rather Bagot, in every sentence remaining longer in sulkily to Mr. Seager 's not very refined badthe treble before descending to the bass, and inage on the subject of his intemperance on slowly bringing his gaze round till it rested the previous night. They went over the grimly on his guest. "Your conversation, stables together afterwards rode out; and, sir, is unpleasant, and your manner is quar- on returning, played billiards, and drank cold relsome. I regret, sir, to be compelled to leave you;" and poor Bagot rose with difficulty, and made unsteadily towards the door of his bedroom. Having with some difficulty opened it, he paused a moment on the thres From Household Words. THE SECRET OF THE STREAM.. WHEN the silver stars looked down from heaven To smile the world to rest, A woman, from all refuge driven, And thus she sang: 66 Sleep within thy mother's arms, Burning fiercely at its core, Of the world's neglect and scorn? Is 't not better far to die? Gaze upon them shamelessly? Waking us from this sad dream Let us hasten to the wave, And the tide rolls on forever brandy-and-water till it was time to dress and proceed to Doddington, to dine with the dragoons whither they went in a dog-cart, and enjoyed themselves, as will appear in the next chapter. And beneath the wave-foam sparkling, Of that swift and silent river. From the National Era AN APRIL RHYME. BY ALICE CAREY. Ir, in the sunshine of this April morn, By funeral torches, I would yet have smiled And though we see the shadow of its wings So, even for the dead I will not bind |