miserable and reckless, he joined her, and tried to engage her in conversation; and, having heard much of her beauty, attempted to satisfy his curiosity by raising her veil. It was at this moment that Sir Pelham appeared, and the sequel has been already stated.

Burning with indignation, Edward hurried in search of a young midshipman with whom he was intimately acquainted, and who was now in the village on a visit to a friend. To him he related the particulars of what had just passed, and the result of their conference was a challenge from Edward to Sir Pelham, and which was conveyed to the latter by Mr Treby, who having proved to Sir Pelham that the rank of Edward entitled him to demand satisfaction, the challenge was accepted; and it was agreed that the seconds should meet next day to arrange further proceedings.

It was with feelings of the most acute anguish that Sir Pelham again joined his sister, on whom he gazed with intense af

fection; and his heart smote him as he reflected on the desolate and unprotected state in which his death would leave her. Unable to endure her presence, and those marks of love which she lavished on him, he quitted her, and was on the point of proceeding to the Barracks, to confide to Spencer his present situation, and to request him to act as his second, when he recollected that Spencer, Sefton, and Charles Lennox, had gone to pay a visit a considerable distance in the country, and were not expected to return till late at night.

But Sir Pelham had little time left for the indulgence of his feelings, as, in the course of a few hours, he was again waited on by Mr Treby, who, informing him that Mr Gordon had received by the afternoon's post a letter, ordering him instantly to join his ship, in consequence of which he would be under the necessity of setting off early next morning, requested that the meeting with Sir Pelham should take place that night, and at half past ten o'clock, as the

moon would then be up. To this Sir Pelham having signified his acquiescence, Mr Treby once more took his leave.

CHAPTER XIII.

Friend after friend departs ;

Who hath not lost a friend?
There is no union here of hearts,

That finds not here an end.
Were this frail world our final rest,

Living or dying, none were blest.

MONTGOMERY.

A FEW brief hours were now all perhaps that remained to him of life; Sir Pelham therefore felt the necessity of instant exertion. No longer jealous of Willoughby, whom he now believed to be, like himself, rejected by Catherine, he did ample justice to his merit, and in this crisis of his fate, he turned to him with the feelings of a friend, and wrote to him, requesting to see him instantly. To his chagrin, his confi

dential servant returned, with intelligence that Major Willoughby had left the Barracks some time during the forenoon, and had not since been seen.

The servant was again dispatched with a note to Ashley, containing the same request; and during his absence, Sir Pelham shut himself up in his dressing-room, where he continued writing till the arrival of Ashley, who was much shocked on finding what was the occasion of the hasty summons he had received.

The appointed time was drawing near, but Ashley, determined to make an effort for an accommodation, and repairing instantly to Mr Treby, entered at once on the subject; but Treby, young, rash, and impetuous, would scarcely listen to him. He said a British officer had received a blow, and for that insult there was but one atonement; and when Ashley stated that Mr Gordon was the aggressor, and ought to apologise for having insulted a lady, the wrath of Treby (who also participated in