MR. MEESON'S WILL

 BY H. RIDER HAGGARD

CONTENTS. 

 CHAPTER I. AUGUSTA AND HER PUBLISHER

 CHAPTER II. HOW EUSTACE WAS DISINHERITED

 CHAPTER III. AUGUSTA'S LITTLE SISTER

 CHAPTER IV. AUGUSTA'S DECISION

 CHAPTER V. THE R. M. S. KANGAROO

 CHAPTER VI. MR. TOMBEY GOES FORWARD

 CHAPTER VII. THE CATASTROPHE

 CHAPTER VIII. KERGUELEN LAND

 CHAPTER IX. AUGUSTA TO THE RESCUE

 CHAPTER X. THE LAST OF MR. MEESON

 CHAPTER XI. RESCUED

 CHAPTER XII. SOUTHAMPTON QUAY

 CHAPTER XIII. EUSTACE BUYS A PAPER

 CHAPTER XIV. AT HANOVER SQUARE

 CHAPTER XV. EUSTACE CONSULTS A LAWYER

 CHAPTER XVI. SHORT ON LEGAL ETIQUETTE

 CHAPTER XVII. HOW AUGUSTA WAS FILED

 CHAPTER XVIII. AUGUSTA FLIES

 CHAPTER XIX. MEESON v. ADDISON AND ANOTHER

 CHAPTER XX. JAMES BREAKS DOWN

 CHAPTER XXI. GRANT AS PRAYED

 CHAPTER XXII. ST. GEORGE'S, HANOVER-SQUARE

 CHAPTER XXIII. MEESON'S ONCE AGAIN

CHAPTER I. 

AUGUSTA AND HER PUBLISHER. 

"Now mark you, my masters: this is comedy. "--OLD PLAY. 

Everybody who has any connection with Birmingham will be acquainted withthe vast publishing establishment still known by the short title of"Meeson's, " which is perhaps the most remarkable institution of the sortin Europe. There are--or rather there were, at the date of the beginningof this history--three partners in Meeson's--Meeson himself, the managingpartner; Mr. Addison, and Mr. Roscoe--and people in Birmingham used tosay that there were others interested in the affair, for Meeson's was a"company" (limited). 

However this may be, Meeson and Co. Was undoubtedly a commercial marvel. It employed more than two thousand hands; and its works, lit throughoutwith the electric light, cover two acres and a quarter of land. Onehundred commercial travellers, at three pounds a week and a commission, went forth east and west, and north and south, to sell the books ofMeeson (which were largely religious in their nature) in all lands; andfive-and-twenty tame authors (who were illustrated by thirteen tameartists) sat--at salaries ranging from one to five hundred a year--invault-like hutches in the basement, and week by week poured out thathat-work for which Meeson's was justly famous. Then there were editorsand vice-editors, and heads of the various departments, and sub-heads, and financial secretaries, and readers, and many managers; but what theirnames were no man knew, because at Meeson's all the employees of thegreat house were known by numbers; personalities and personalresponsibility being the abomination of the firm. Nor was it allowed toanyone having dealings with these items ever to see the same numbertwice, presumably for fear lest the number should remember that he was aman and a brother, and his heart should melt towards the unfortunate, andthe financial interests of Meeson's should suffer. In short, Meeson's wasan establishment created for and devoted to money-making, and the factwas kept studiously and even insolently before the eyes of everybodyconnected with it--which was, of course, as it should be, in this happyland of commerce. After all that has been written, the reader will not besurprised to learn that the partners in Meeson's were rich beyond thedreams of avarice. Their palaces would have been a wonder even in ancientBabylon, and would have excited admiration in the corruptest and mostluxurious days of Rome. Where could one see such horses, such carriages, such galleries of sculpture or such collections of costly gems as at thepalatial halls of Messrs. Meeson, Addison, and Roscoe?

"And to think, " as the Mighty Meeson himself would say, with a lordlywave of his right hand, to some astonished wretch of an author whom hehas chosen to overwhelm with the sight of this magnificence, "to thinkthat all this comes out of the brains of chaps like you! Why, young man, I tell you that if all the money that has been paid to you scribblerssince the days of Elizabeth were added together it would not come up tomy little pile; but, mind you, it ain't so much fiction that has done thetrick--it's religion. It's piety as pays, especially when it's printed. "

Then the unsophisticated youth would go away, his heart too full forwords, but pondering how these things were, and by-and-by he would passinto the Meeson melting-pot and learn something about it. 

One day King Meeson sat in his counting house counting out his money, or, at least, looking over the books of the firm. He was in a very badtemper, and his heavy brows were wrinkled up in a way calculated to makethe counting-house clerks shake on their stools. Meeson's had a branchestablishment at Sydney, in Australia, which establishment had, untillately, been paying--it is true not as well as the English one, but, still, fifteen or twenty per cent. But now a wonder had come to pass. Agreat American publishing firm had started an opposition house inMelbourne, and their "cuteness" was more than the "cuteness" of Meeson. Did Meeson's publish an edition of the works of any standard author atthreepence per volume the opposition company brought out the same work attwopence-halfpenny; did Meeson's subsidise a newspaper to puff theirundertakings, the opposition firm subsidised two to cry them down, and soon. And now the results of all this were becoming apparent: for thefinancial year just ended the Australian branch had barely earned abeggarly net dividend of seven per cent. 

No wonder Mr. Meeson was furious, and no wonder that the clerks shookupon their stools. 

"This must be seen into, No. 3, " said Mr. Meeson, bringing his fist downwith a bang on to the balance-sheet. 

No. 3 was one of the editors; a mild-eyed little man with bluespectacles. He had once been a writer of promise; but somehow Meeson'shad got him for its own, and turned him into a publisher's hack. 

"Quite so, Sir, " he said humbly. "It is very bad--it is dreadful to thinkof Meeson's coming down to seven per cent--seven per cent!" and he heldup his hands. 

"Don't stand there like a stuck pig, No. 3, " said Mr. Meeson, fiercely;"but suggest something. "

"Well, Sir, " said No. 3 more humbly than ever, for he was terribly afraidof his employer; "I think, perhaps, that somebody had better go toAustralia, and see what can be done. "

"I know one thing that can be done, " said Mr. Meeson, with a snarl: "allthose fools out there can be sacked, and sacked they shall be; and, what's more, I'll go and sack them myself. That will do No. 3; that willdo;" and No. 3 departed, and glad enough he was to go. 

As he went a clerk arrived, and gave a card to the great man. 

"Miss Augusta Smithers, " he read; then with a grunt, "show Miss AugustaSmithers in. "

Presently Miss Augusta Smithers arrived. She was a tall, well-formedyoung lady of about twenty-five, with pretty golden hair, deep greyeyes, a fine forehead, and a delicate mouth; just now, however, shelooked very nervous. 

"Well, Miss Smithers, what is it?" asked the publisher. 

"I came, Mr. Meeson--I came about my book. "

"Your book, Miss Smithers?" this was an affectation of forgetfulness;"let me see?--forgive me, but we publish so many books. Oh, yes, Iremember; 'Jemima's Vow. ' Oh, well, I believe it is going on fairly. "

"I saw you advertised the sixteenth thousand the other day, " put in MissSmithers, apologetically. 

"Did we--did we? ah, then, you know more about it than I do, " and helooked at his visitor in a way that conveyed clearly enough that heconsidered the interview was ended. 

Miss Smithers rose, and then, with a spasmodic effort, sat down again. "The fact is, Mr. Meeson, " she said--"The fact is, that, I thought that, perhaps, as 'Jemima's Vow' had been such a great success, you might, perhaps--in short, you might be inclined to give me some small sum inaddition to what I have received. "

Mr. Meeson looked up. His forehead was wrinkled till the shaggy eyebrowsnearly hid the sharp little eyes. 

"What!" he said. "_What_!"

At this moment the door opened, and a young gentleman came slowly in. Hewas a very nice-looking young man, tall and well shaped, with a fair skinand jolly blue eyes--in short, a typical young Englishman of the bettersort, aetate suo twenty-four. I have said that he came slowly in, butthat scarcely conveys the gay and _dégagé_ air of independence whichpervaded this young man, and which would certainly have struck anyobserver as little short of shocking, when contrasted with the worm-likeattitude of those who crept round the feet of Meeson. This young man hadnot, indeed, even taken the trouble to remove his hat, which was stuckupon the back of his head, his hands were in his pockets, a sacrilegiouswhistle hovered on his lips, and he opened the door of the sanctumsanctorum of the Meeson establishment _with a kick_!

"How do, uncle?" he said to the Commercial Terror, who was sitting therebehind his formidable books, addressing him even as though he were anordinary man. "Why, what's up?"

Just then, however, he caught sight of the very handsome young lady whowas seated in the office, and his whole demeanour underwent a mostremarkable change; out came the hands from his pockets, off went the hat, and, turning, he bowed, really rather nicely, considering how impromptuthe whole performance was. 

"What is it, Eustace?" asked Mr. Meeson, sharply. 

"Oh, nothing, uncle; nothing--it can bide, " and, without waiting for aninvitation, he took a chair, and sat down in such a position that hecould see Miss Smithers without being seen of his uncle. 

"I was saying, Miss Smithers, or rather, I was going to say, " went on theelder Meeson, "that, in short, I do not in the least understand what youcan mean. You will remember that you were paid a sum of fifty pounds forthe copyright of 'Jemima's Vow. '"

"Great Heavens!" murmured Master Eustace, behind; "what a do!"

"At the time an alternative agreement, offering you seven per cent on thepublished price of the book, was submitted to you, and, had you acceptedit, you would, doubtless, have realized a larger sum, " and Mr. Meesoncontracted his hairy eyebrows and gazed at the poor girl in a way thatwas, to say the least, alarming. But Augusta, though she felt sadlyinclined to flee, still stood to her guns, for, to tell the truth, herneed was very great. 

"I could not afford to wait for the seven per cent, Mr. Meeson, " shesaid humbly. 

"Oh, ye gods! seven per cent, when he makes about forty-five!" murmuredEustace, in the background. 

"Possibly, Miss Smithers; possibly;" went on the great man. "You mustreally forgive me if I am not acquainted with the exact condition of yourprivate affairs. I am, however, aware from experience that the moneymatters of most writing people are a little embarrassed. "

Augusta winced, and Mr. Meeson, rising heavily from his chair, went to alarge safe which stood near, and extracted from it a bundle ofagreements. These he glanced at one by one till he found what he waslooking for. 

"Here is the agreement, " he said; "let me see? ah, I thoughtso--copyright fifty pounds, half proceeds of rights of translation, and aclause binding you to offer any future work you may produce during thenext five years to our house on the seven per cent agreement, or a sumnot exceeding one hundred pounds for the copyright. Now, Miss Smithers, what have you to say? You signed this paper of your own free will. It sohappens that we have made a large profit on your book: indeed, I don'tmind telling you that we have got as much as we gave you back fromAmerica for the sale of the American rights; but that is no ground foryour coming to ask for more money than you agreed to accept. I neverheard of such a thing in the whole course of my professional experience;never!" and he paused, and once more eyed her sternly. 

"At any rate, there ought to be something to come to me from the rightsof translation--I saw in the paper that the book was to be translatedinto French and German, " said Augusta, faintly. 

"Oh! yes, no doubt--Eustace, oblige me by touching the bell. "

The young gentleman did so, and a tall, melancholy-looking clerkappeared. 

"No. 18, " snarled Mr. Meeson, in the tone of peculiar amiability that hereserved for his employee's, "make out the translation account of'Jemima's Vow, ' and fill up a cheque of balance due to the author. "

No. 18 vanished like a thin, unhappy ghost, and Mr. Meeson once moreaddressed the girl before him. "If you want money, Miss Smithers, " hesaid, "you had better write us another book. I am not going to deny thatyour work is good work--a little too deep, and not quite orthodox enough, perhaps; but still good. I tested it myself, when it came to hand--whichis a thing I don't often do--and saw it was good selling quality, and yousee I didn't make a mistake. I believe 'Jemima's Vow' will sell twentythousand without stopping--here's the account. "

As he spoke the spectre-like clerk put down a neatly-ruled bit of paperand an unsigned cheque on the desk before his employer, and then smiled ashadowy smile and vanished. 

Mr. Meeson glanced through the account, signed the cheque, and handedit, together with the account to Augusta, who proceeded to read it. Itran thus:--

AUGUSTA SMITHERS _in account with_ MEESON & Co. 

 £ s dTo Sale of Right of Translation of 7 0 0"Jemima's Vow" into French. .. .. . Do. Do. Do. Into German 7 0 0 -------- £14 0 0 ======== £ s dLess amount due to Messrs. Meeson, being 7 0 0one-half of net proceedsLess Commission, &c 3 19 0 ---------- £10 19 0 ==========Balance due to Author, as per cheque £3 1 0herewith. --------

Augusta looked, and then slowly crumpled up the cheque in her hand. 

"If I understand, Mr. Meeson, " she said, "you have sold the two rights oftranslation of my book, which you persuaded me to leave in your hands, for £14; out of which I am to receive £3 1s. ?"

"Yes, Miss Smithers. Will you be so kind as to sign the receipt; the factis that I have a good deal of business to attend to. "

"No, Mr. Meeson, " suddenly said Augusta, rising to her feet and lookingexceedingly handsome and imposing in her anger. "No; I will not sign thereceipt, and I will not take this cheque. And, what is more, I will notwrite you any more books. You have entrapped me. You have takenadvantage of my ignorance and inexperience, and entrapped me so that forfive years I shall be nothing but a slave to you, and, although I am nowone of the most popular writers in the country, shall be obliged toaccept a sum for my books upon which I cannot live. Do you know thatyesterday I was offered a thousand pounds for the copyright of a booklike 'Jemima's Vow'?--it's a large sum; but I have the letter. Yes, and Ihave the book in manuscript now; and if I could publish it I should belifted out of poverty, together with my poor little sister!" and she gavea sob. "But, " she went on, "I cannot publish it, and I will not let youhave it and be treated like this; I had rather starve. I will publishnothing for five years, and I will write to the papers and saywhy--because I have been _cheated_, Mr. Meeson!"

"Cheated!" thundered the great man. "Be careful, young lady; mind whatyou are saying. I have a witness; Eustace, you hear, '_cheated_'!Eustace, '_cheated_'!"

"_I_ hear, " said Eustace, grimly. 

"Yes, Mr. Meeson, I said '_cheated_'; and I will repeat it, whether I amlocked up for it or not. Good morning, Mr. Meeson, " and she curtseyed tohim, and then suddenly burst into a flood of tears. 

In a minute Eustace was by her side. 

"Don't cry, Miss Smithers; for Heaven's sake don't I can't bear to seeit, " he said. 

She looked up, her beautiful grey eyes full of tears, and tried to smile. 

"Thank you, " she said; "I am very silly, but I am so disappointed. If youonly knew--. There I will go. Thank you, " and in another instant she haddrawn herself up and left the room. 

"Well, " said Mr. Meeson, senior, who had been sitting at his desk withhis great mouth open, apparently too much astonished to speak. "Well, there is a vixen for you. But she'll come round. I've known them to dothat sort of thing before--there are one or two down there, " and hejerked his thumb in the direction where the twenty and five tame authorssat each like a rabbit in his little hutch and did hat-work by the yard, "who carried on like that. But they are quiet enough now--they don'tshow much spirit now. I know how to deal with that sort ofthing--half-pay and a double tale of copy--that's the ticket. Why, thatgirl will be worth fifteen hundred a year to the house. What do youthink of it, young man, eh?"

"I think, " answered his nephew, on whose good-tempered face a curiouslook of contempt and anger had gathered, "I think that you ought to beashamed of yourself!"

CHAPTER II. 

HOW EUSTACE WAS DISINHERITED. 

There was a pause--a dreadful pause. The flash had left the cloud, butthe answering thunder had not burst upon the ear. Mr. Meeson gasped. Thenhe took up the cheque which Augusta had thrown upon the table and slowlycrumpled it. 

"What did you say, young man?" he said at last, in a cold, hard voice. 

"I said that you ought to be ashamed of yourself, " answered his nephew, standing his ground bravely; "and, what is more, I meant it!"

"Oh! Now will you be so kind as to explain exactly why you said that, andwhy you meant it?"

"I meant it, " answered his nephew, speaking in a full, strong voice, "because that girl was right when she said that you had cheated her, andyou know that she was right. I have seen the accounts of 'Jemima'sVow'--I saw them this morning--and you have already made more than athousand pounds clear profit on the book. And then, when she comes to askyou for something over the beggarly fifty pounds which you doled out toher, you refuse, and offer her three pounds as her share of thetranslation rights--three pounds as against your eleven!"

"Go on, " interrupted his uncle; "pray go on. "

"All right; I am going. That is not all: you actually avail yourself of adisgraceful trick to entrap this unfortunate girl into an agreement, whereby she becomes a literary bondslave for five years! As soon as yousee that she has genius, you tell her that the expense of bringing outher book, and of advertising up her name, &c. , &c. , &c. , will be verygreat--so great, indeed, that you cannot undertake it, unless, indeed, she agrees to let you have the first offer of everything she writes forfive years to come, at somewhere about a fourth of the usual rate of asuccessful author's pay--though, of course, you don't tell her that. Youtake advantage of her inexperience to bind her by this iniquitouscontract, knowing that the end of it will be that you will advance her alittle money and get her into your power, and then will send her downthere to the Hutches, where all the spirit and originality and geniuswill be crushed out of her work, and she will become a hat-writer likethe rest of them--for Meeson's is a strictly commercial undertaking, youknow, and Meeson's public don't like genius, they like their literaturedull and holy!--and it's an infernal shame! that's what it is, uncle!"and the young man, whose blue eyes were by this time flashing fire, forhe had worked himself up as he went along, brought his fist down with abang upon the writing table by way of emphasising his words. 

"Have you done?" said his uncle. 

"Yes, I've done; and I hope that I have put it plain. "

"Very well; and now might I ask you, supposing that you should ever cometo manage this business, if your sentiments accurately represent thesystem upon which you would proceed?"

"Of course they do. I am not going to turn cheat for anybody. "

"Thank you. They seem to have taught you the art of plain speaking up atOxford--though, it appears, " with a sneer, "they taught you very littleelse. Well, then, now it is my turn to speak; and I tell you what it is, young man, you will either instantly beg my pardon for what you havesaid, or you will leave Meeson's for good and all. "

"I won't beg your pardon for speaking the truth, " said Eustace, hotly:"the fact is that here you never hear the truth; all these poor devilscreep and crawl about you, and daren't call their souls their own. Ishall be devilish glad to get out of this place, I can tell you. All thischickery and pokery makes me sick. The place stinks and reeks of sharppractice and money-making--money-making by fair means or foul. "

The elder man had, up till now, at all events to outward appearance, kepthis temper; but this last flower of vigorous English was altogether toomuch for one whom the possession of so much money had for many yearsshielded from hearing unpleasant truths put roughly. The man's face grewlike a devil's, his thick eyebrows contracted themselves, and his palelips quivered with fury. For a few seconds he could not speak, so greatwas his emotion. When, at length, he did, his voice was as thick andladen with rage as a dense mist is with rain. 

"You impudent young rascal!" he began, "you ungrateful foundling! Do yousuppose that when my brother left you to starve--which was all that youwere fit for--I picked you out of the gutter for this: that you shouldhave the insolence to come and tell me how to conduct my business? Now, young man, I'll just tell you what it is. You can be off and conduct abusiness of your own on whatever principles you choose. Get out ofMeeson's, Sir; and never dare to show your nose here again, or I'll givethe porters orders to hustle you off the premises! And, now, that isn'tall. I've done with you, never you look to me for another sixpence! I'mnot going to support you any longer, I can tell you. And, what's more, doyou know what I'm going to do just, now? I'm going off to oldTodd--that's my lawyer--and I'm going to tell him to make another willand to leave every farthing I have--and that isn't much short of twomillions, one way and another--to Addison and Roscoe. They don't want it, but that don't matter. You shan't have it--no, not a farthing of it; andI won't have a pile like that frittered away in charities andmismanagement. There now, my fine young gentleman, just be off and see ifyour new business principles will get you a living. "

"All right, uncle; I'm going, " said the young man, quietly. "I quiteunderstand what our quarrel means for me, and, to tell you the truth, Iam not sorry. I have never wished to be dependent on you, or to haveanything to do with a business carried on as Meeson's is. I have ahundred a year my mother left me, and with the help of that and myeducation, I hope to make a living. Still, I don't want to part from youin anger, because you have been very kind to me at times, and, as youremind me, you picked me out of the gutter when I was orphaned or not farfrom it. So I hope you will shake hands before I go. "

"Ah!" snarled his uncle; "you want to pipe down now, do you? But thatwon't do. Off you go! and mind you don't set foot in Pompadour Hall, " Mr. Meeson's seat, "unless it is to get your clothes. Come, cut!"

"You misunderstand me, " said Eustace, with a touch of native dignitywhich became him very well. "Probably we shall not meet again, and I didnot wish to part in anger, that was all. Good morning. " And he bowed andleft the office. 

"Confound him!" muttered his uncle as the door closed, "he's a goodplucked one--showed spirit. But I'll show spirit, too. Meeson is a man ofhis word. Cut him off with a shilling? not I; cut him off with nothing atall. And yet, curse it, I like the lad. Well, I've done with him, thanksto that minx of a Smithers girl. Perhaps he's sweet on her? then they cango and starve together, and be hanged to them! She had better keep out ofmy way, for she shall smart for this, so sure as my name is JonathanMeeson. I'll keep her up to the letter of that agreement, and, if shetries to publish a book inside of this country or out of it, I'll crushher--yes, I'll crush her, if it cost me five thousand to do it!" and, with a snarl, he dropped his fist heavily upon the table before him. 

Then he rose, put poor Augusta's agreement carefully back into the safe, which he shut with a savage snap, and proceeded to visit the variousdepartments of his vast establishment, and to make such hay therein ashad never before been dreamt of in the classic halls of Meeson's. 

To this hour the clerks of the great house talk of that dreadful daywith bated breath--for as bloody Hector raged through the Greeks, sodid the great Meeson rage through his hundred departments. In the veryfirst office he caught a wretched clerk eating sardine sandwiches. Without a moment's hesitation he took the sandwiches and threw themthrough the window. 

"Do you suppose I pay you to come and eat your filthy sandwiches here?"he asked savagely. "There, now you can go and look for them; and see youhere: you needn't trouble to come back, you idle, worthless fellow. Offyou go! and remember you need not send to me for a character. Nowthen--double quick!"

The unfortunate departed, feebly remonstrating, and Meeson, having glaredaround at the other clerks and warned them that unless they werecareful--very careful--they would soon follow in his tracks, continuedhis course of devastation. 

Presently he met an editor, No. 7 it was, who was bringing him anagreement to sign. He snatched it from him and glanced through it. 

"What do you mean by bringing me a thing like this?" he said: "It'sall wrong. "

"It is exactly as you dictated to me yesterday, Sir, " said the editorindignantly. 

"What, do you mean to contradict me?" roared Meeson. "Look here No. 7, you and I had better part. Now, no words: your salary will be paid toyou till the end of the month, and if you would like to bring anaction for wrongful dismissal, why, I'm your man. Good morning, No. 7;good morning. "

Next he crossed a courtyard where, by slipping stealthily around thecorner, he came upon a jolly little errand boy, who was enjoying asolitary game of marbles. 

_Whack_ came his cane across the seat of that errand boy's trousers, and in another minute he had followed the editor and thesandwich-devouring clerk. 

And so the merry game went on for half an hour or more, till at last Mr. Meeson was fain to cease his troubling, being too exhausted to continuehis destroying course. But next morning there was promotion going on inthe great publishing house; eleven vacancies had to be filled. 

A couple of glasses of brown sherry and a few sandwiches, which hehastily swallowed at a neighboring restaurant, quickly restored him, however; and, jumping into a cab, he drove post haste to his lawyers', Messrs. Todd and James. 

"Is Mr. Todd in?" he said to the managing clerk, who came forward bowingobsequiously to the richest man in Birmingham. 

"Mr. Todd will be disengaged in a few minutes, Sir, " he said. "May Ioffer you the _Times_?"

"Damn the _Times_!" was the polite answer; "I don't come here to readnewspapers. Tell Mr. Todd I must see him at once, or else I shall goelsewhere. "

"I am much afraid Sir"--began the managing clerk. 

Mr. Meeson jumped up and grabbed his hat. "Now then, which is it tobe?" he said. 

"Oh, certainly, Sir; pray be seated, " answered the manager in greatalarm--Meeson's business was not a thing to be lightly lost. "I will seeMr. Todd instantly, " and he vanished. 

Almost simultaneously with his departure an old lady was unceremoniouslybundled out of an inner room, clutching feebly at a reticule full ofpapers and proclaiming loudly that her head was going round and round. The poor old soul was just altering her will for the eighteenth time infavor of a brand new charity, highly recommended by Royalty; and to besuddenly shot from the revered presence of her lawyer out into the outerdarkness of the clerk's office, was really too much for her. 

In another minute, Mr. Meeson was being warmly, even enthusiastically, greeted by Mr. Todd himself. Mr. Todd was a nervous-looking, jumpy littleman, who spoke in jerks and gushes in such a way as to remind one of afire-hose through which water was being pumped intermittently. 

"How do you do, my dear Sir? Delighted to have this pleasure, " he beganwith a sudden gush, and then suddenly dried up, as he noticed theominous expression on the great man's brow. "I am sure I am very sorrythat you were kept waiting, my dear Sir: but I was at the moment engagedwith an excellent and most Christian testator. "--

Here he suddenly jumped and dried up again, for Mr. Meeson, without theslightest warning, ejaculated: "Curse your Christian testator! And lookhere, Todd, just you see that it does not happen again. I'm a Christiantestator too; and Christians of my cut aren't accustomed to be keptstanding about just like office-boys or authors. See that it don't happenagain, Todd. "

"I am sure I am exceedingly grieved. Circumstances"--

"Oh, never mind all that--I want my will. "

"Will--will--Forgive me--a little confused, that's all. Your manner is sofull of hearty old middle-age's kind of vigour"--

Here he stopped, more suddenly even than usual, for Mr. Meeson fixed himwith his savage eye, and then jerked himself out of the room to look forthe document in question. 

"Little idiot!" muttered Meeson; "I'll give him the sack, too, if heisn't more careful. By Jove! why should I not have my own residentsolicitor? I could get a sharp hand with a damaged character for about£300 a year, and I pay that old Todd quite £2000. There is a vacant placein the Hutches that I could turn into an office. Hang me, if I don't doit. I will make that little chirping grasshopper jump to some purpose, I'll warrant, " and he chuckled at the idea. 

Just then Mr. Todd returned with the will, and before he could begin tomake any explanations his employer, cut him short with a sharp order toread the gist of it. 

This the lawyer proceeded to do. It was very short, and, with theexception of a few legacies, amounting in all to about twenty thousandpounds, bequeathed all the testator's vast fortune and estates, includinghis (by far the largest) interest in the great publishing house, and hispalace with the paintings and other valuable contents, known as PompadourHall, to his nephew, Eustace H. Meeson. 

"Very well, " he said, when the reading was finished; "now give it to me. "

Mr. Todd obeyed, and handed the document to his patron, who deliberatelyrent it into fragments with his strong fingers, and then completed itsdestruction by tearing it with his big white teeth. This done, he mixedthe little pieces up, threw them on the floor, and stamped upon them withan air of malignity that almost frightened jerky little Mr. Todd. 

"Now then, " he grimly said, "there's an end of the old love; so let's onwith the new. Take your pen and receive my instructions for my will. "

Mr. Todd did as he was bid. 

"I leave all my property, real and personal, to be divided in equalshares between my two partners, Alfred Tom Addison and Cecil SpoonerRoscoe. There, that's short and sweet, and, one way and another, means acouple of millions. "

"Good heavens! Sir, " jerked out Mr. Todd. "Why, do you mean to quite cutout your nephew--and the other legatees?" he added by way of anafterthought. 

"Of course I do; that is, as regards my nephew. The legatees may standas before. "

"Well all I have to say, " went on the little man, astonished intohonesty, "Is that it is the most shameful thing I ever heard of!"

"Indeed, Mr. Todd, is it? Well now, may I ask you: am I leaving thisproperty, or are you? Don't trouble yourself to answer that, however, butjust attend. Either you draw up that will at once, while I wait, or yousay good-bye to about £2000 a year, for that's what Meeson's business isworth, I reckon. Now you take your choice. "

Mr. Todd did take his choice. In under an hour, the will, which was veryshort, was drawn and engrossed. 

"Now then, " said Meeson, addressing himself to Mr. Todd and the managingclerk, as he took the quill between his fingers to sign, "do you two bearin mind that at the moment I execute this will I am of sound mind, memory, and understanding. There you are; now do you two witness. "

 * * * * *

It was night, and King capital, in the shape of Mr. Meeson, sat alone atdinner in his palatial dining-room at Pompadour. Dinner was over, thepowdered footman had departed with stately tread, and the head butler wasjust placing the decanters of richly coloured wine before the solitarylord of all. The dinner had been a melancholy failure. Dish after dish, the cost of any one of which would have fed a poor child for a month, hadbeen brought up and handed to the master only to be found fault with andsent away. On that night Mr. Meeson had no appetite. 

"Johnson, " he said to the butler, when he was sure the footman could nothear him, "has Mr. Eustace been here?"

"Yes, Sir. "

"Has he gone?"

"Yes, Sir. He came to fetch his things, and then went away in a cab. "

"Where to?"

"I don't know, Sir. He told the man to drive to Birmingham. "

"Did he leave any message?"

"Yes, Sir, he bade me say that you should not be troubled with him again;but that he was sorry that you had parted from him in anger. "

"Why did you not give me that message before?"

"Because Mr. Eustace said I was not to give it unless you askedafter him. "

"Very good. Johnson!"

"Yes, Sir. "

"You will give orders that Mr. Eustace's name is not to be mentioned inthis house again. Any servant mentioning Mr. Eustace's name will bedismissed. "

"Very good, Sir"; and Johnson went. 

Mr. Meeson gazed round him. He looked at the long array of glass andsilver, at the spotless napery and costly flowers. He looked at the wallshung with works of art, which, whatever else they might be, were at leastexpensive; at the mirrors and the soft wax-lights; at the marblemantelpieces and the bright warm fires (for it was November); at the richwall paper and the soft, deep-hued carpet; and reflected that they wereall his. And then he sighed, and his coarse, heavy face sank in and grewsad. Of what use was this last extremity of luxury to him? He had nobodyto leave it to, and to speak the truth, it gave him but little pleasure. Such pleasure as he had in life was derived from making money, not fromspending it. The only times when he was really happy were when he was inhis counting house directing the enterprises of his vast establishment, and adding sovereign by sovereign to his enormous accumulations. That hadbeen his one joy for forty years, and it was still his joy. 

And then he fell to thinking of his nephew, the only son of his brother, whom he had once loved, before he lost himself in publishing books andmaking money, and sighed. He had been attached to the lad in his owncoarse way, and it was a blow to him to cut himself loose from him. ButEustace had defied him, and--what was worse--he had told him the truth, which he, of all men, could not bear. He had said that his system oftrade was dishonest, that he took more than his due, and it was so. Heknew it; but he could not tolerate that it should be told him, and thathis whole life should thereby be discredited, and even his accumulatedgold tarnished--stamped as ill-gotten; least of all could he bear itfrom his dependent. He was not altogether a bad man; nobody is; he wasonly a coarse, vulgar tradesman, hardened and defiled by a long careerof sharp dealing. At the bottom, he had his feelings like other men, buthe could not tolerate exposure or even contradiction; therefore he hadrevenged himself. And yet, as he sat there, in solitary glory, herealized that to revenge does not bring happiness, and could even findit in his heart to envy the steadfast honesty that had defied him at thecost of his own ruin. 

Not that he meant to relent or alter his determination. Mr. Meeson neverrelented, and never changed his mind. Had he done so he would not atthat moment have been the master of two millions of money. 

CHAPTER III. 

AUGUSTA'S LITTLE SISTER. 

When Augusta left Meeson's she was in a very sad condition of mind, toexplain which it will be necessary to say a word or two about that younglady's previous history. Her father had been a clergyman, and, like mostclergymen, not overburdened with the good things of this world. When Mr. Smithers--or, rather, the Rev. James Smithers--had died, he left behindhim a widow and two children--Augusta, aged fourteen, and Jeannie, agedtwo. There had been two others, both boys, who had come into the worldbetween Augusta and Jeannie, but they had both preceded their father tothe land of shadows. Mrs. Smithers, had, fortunately for herself, a lifeinterest in a sum of £7000, which, being well invested, brought her in£350 a year: and, in order to turn this little income to the bestpossible account and give her two girls the best educationalopportunities possible under the circumstances, she, on her husband'sdeath, moved from the village where he had for many years been curate, into the city of Birmingham. Here she lived in absolute retirement forsome seven years and then suddenly died, leaving the two girls, thenrespectively nineteen and eight years of age, to mourn her loss, and, friendless as they were, to fight their way in the hard world. 

Mrs. Smithers had been a saving woman, and, on her death, it was foundthat, after paying all debts, there remained a sum of £600 for the twogirls to live on, and nothing else; for their mother's fortune died withher. Now, it will be obvious that the interest arising from six hundredpounds is not sufficient to support two young people, and thereforeAugusta was forced to live upon the principal. From an early age, however, she (Augusta) had shown a strong literary tendency, and shortlyafter her mother's death she published her first book at her own expense. It was a dead failure and cost her fifty-two pounds, the balance betweenthe profit and loss account. After awhile, however, she recovered fromthis blow, and wrote "Jemima's Vow, " which was taken up by Meeson's; and, strange as it may seem, proved the success of the year. Of the nature ofthe agreement into which she entered with Meeson's, the reader is alreadyacquainted, and he will not therefore be surprised to learn that underits cruel provisions Augusta, notwithstanding her name and fame, wasabsolutely prohibited from reaping the fruits of her success. She couldonly publish with Meesons's, and at the fixed pay of seven per cent onthe advertised price of her work. Now, something over three years hadelapsed since the death of Mrs. Smithers, and it will therefore beobvious that there was not much remaining of the six hundred pounds whichshe had left behind her. The two girls had, indeed, lived economicallyenough in a couple of small rooms in a back street; but their expenseshad been enormously increased by the serious illness, from a pulmonarycomplaint, of the little girl Jeannie, now a child between twelve andthirteen years of age. On that morning, Augusta had seen the doctor andbeen crushed into the dust by the expression of his conviction, that, unless her little sister was moved to a warmer climate, for a period ofat least a year, she would not live through the winter, and _might_ dieat any moment. 

Take Jeannie to a warmer climate! He might as well have told Augusta totake her to the moon. Alas, she had not the money and did not know whereto turn to get it! Oh! reader, pray to Heaven that it may never be yourlot to see your best beloved die for the want of a few hundred poundswherewith to save her life!

It was in this terrible emergency that she had--driven thereto by heragony of mind--tried to get something beyond her strict and legal due outof Meeson's--Meeson's that had made hundreds and hundreds out of her bookand paid her fifty pounds. We know how she fared in that attempt. Onleaving their office, Augusta bethought her of her banker. Perhaps hemight be willing to advance something. It was a horrible task, but shedetermined to undertake it; so she walked to the bank and asked to seethe manager. He was out, but would be in at three o'clock. She went to ashop near and got a bun and glass of milk, and waited till she wasashamed to wait any longer, and then she walked about the streets tillthree o'clock. At the stroke of the hour she returned, and was shown intothe manager's private room, where a dry, unsympathetic looking little manwas sitting before a big book. It was not the same man whom Augusta hadmet before, and her heart sank proportionately. 

What followed need not be repeated here. The manager listened to herfaltering tale with a few stereotyped expressions of sympathy, and, whenshe had done, "regretted" that speculative loans were contrary to thecustom of the bank, and politely bowed her out. 

It was nearly four o'clock upon a damp, drizzling afternoon--a Novemberafternoon--that hung like a living misery over the black slush of theBirmingham streets, and would in itself have sufficed to bring thelightest hearted, happiest mortal to the very gates of despair, whenAugusta, wet, wearied, and almost crying, at last entered the door oftheir little sitting-room. She entered very quietly, for themaid-of-all-work had met her in the passage and told her that MissJeannie was asleep. She had been coughing very much about dinner-time, but now she was asleep. 

There was a fire in the grate, a small one, for the coal was economisedby means of two large fire-bricks, and on a table (Augusta's writingtable), placed at the further side of the room, was a paraffin-lampturned low. Drawn up in front, but a little to one side of the fire, wasa sofa, covered with red rep, and on the sofa lay a fair-haired littleform, so thin and fragile that it looked like the ghost or outline of agirl, rather than a girl herself. It was Jeannie, her sick sister, andshe was asleep. Augusta stole softly up to look at her. It was a sweetlittle face that her eyes fell on, although it was so shockingly thin, with long, curved lashes, delicate nostrils, and a mouth shaped like abow. All the lines and grooves which the chisel of Pain knows so well howto carve were smoothed out of it now, and in their place lay the shadowof a smile. 

Augusta looked at her and clenched her fists, while a lump rose in herthroat, and her grey eyes filled with tears. How could she get the moneyto save her? The year before a rich man, a man who was detestable toher, had wanted to marry her, and she would have nothing to say to him. He had gone abroad, else she would have gone back to him and marriedhim--at a price. Marry him? yes she would marry him: she would doanything for money to take her sister away! What did she care for herselfwhen her darling was dying--dying for the want of two hundred pounds!

Just then Jeannie woke up, and stretched her arms out to her. 

"So you are back at last, dear, " she said in her sweet childish voice. "It has been so lonely without you. Why, how wet you are! Take off yourjacket at once, Gussie, or you will soon be as ill as"--and here shebroke out into a terrible fit of coughing, that seemed to shake hertender frame as the wind shakes a reed. 

Her sister turned and obeyed, and then came and sat by the sofa and tookthe thin little hand in hers. 

"Well, Gussie, and how did you get on with the Printer-devil" (thiswas her impolite name for the great Meeson); "will he give you anymore money?"

"No, dear; we quarrelled, that was all, and I came away. "

"Then I suppose that we can't go abroad?"

Augusta was too moved to answer; she only shook her head. The childburied her face in the pillow and gave a sob or two. Presently she wasquiet, and lifted it again. "Gussie, love, " she said, "don't be angry, but I want to speak to you. Listen, my sweet Gussie, my angel. Oh, Gussie, you don't know how I love you! It is all no good, it is uselessstruggling against it, I must die sooner or later; though I am onlytwelve, and you think me such a child, I am old enough to understandthat. I think, " she added, after pausing to cough, "that pain makes oneold: I feel as though I were fifty. Well, so you see I may as well giveup fighting against it and die at once. I am only a burden and anxiety toyou--I may as well die at once and go to sleep. "

"Don't, Jeannie! don't!" said her sister, in a sort of cry; "you arekilling me!"

Jeannie laid her hot hand upon Augusta's arm, "Try and listen to me, dear, " she said, "even if it hurts, because I do so want to saysomething. Why should you be so frightened about me? Can any place that Ican go be worse than this place? Can I suffer more pain anywhere, or bemore hurt when I see you crying? Think how wretched it has all been. There has only been one beautiful thing in our lives for years and years, and that was your book. Even when I am feeling worst--when my chestaches, you know--I grow quite happy when I think of what the papers wroteabout you: the _Times_ and the _Saturday Review_, and the _Spectator_, and the rest of them. They said that you had genius--true genius, youremember, and that they expected one day to see you at the head of theliterature of the time, or near it. The Printer-devil can't take awaythat, Gussie. He can take the money; but he can't say that he wrote thebook; though, " she added, with a touch of childish spite and vivacity, "Ihave no doubt that he would if he could. And then there were thoseletters from the great authors up in London; yes, I often think of themtoo. Well, dearest old girl, the best of it is that I know it is alltrue. I _know_, I can't tell you how, that you will be a great woman inspite of all the Meesons in creation; for somehow you will get out of hispower, and, if you don't, five years is not all one's life--at least, not if people have a life. At the worst, he can only take all the money. And then, when you are great and rich and famous, and more beautiful thanever, and when the people turn their heads as you come into the room, like we used to at school when the missionary came to lecture, I knowthat you will think of me (because you won't forget me as some sistersdo), and of how, years and years before, so long ago that the time looksquite small when you think of it, I told you that it would be so justbefore I died. "

Here the girl, who had been speaking with a curious air of certainty andwith a gravity and deliberation extraordinary for one so young, suddenlybroke off to cough. Her sister threw herself on her knees beside her, and, clasping her in her arms, implored her in broken accents not to talkof dying. Jeannie drew Augusta's golden head down on her breast andstroked it. 

"Very well, Gussie, I won't say any more about it, " she said; "but it isno good hiding the truth, dear. I am tired of fighting against it; it isno good--none at all. Anyhow we have loved each other very much, dear;and perhaps--somewhere else--we may again. "--And the brave little heartagain broke down, and, overcome by the prescience of approachingseparation, they both sobbed bitterly there upon the sofa. Presently camea knock at the door, and Augusta sprang up and turned to hide her tears. It was the maid-of-all-work bringing the tea; and, as she came blunderingin, a sense of the irony of things forced itself into Augusta's soul. Here they were plunged into the most terrible sorrow, weeping at theinevitable approach of that chill end, and still appearances must bekept up, even before a maid-of-all-work. Society, even when representedby a maid-of-all-work, cannot do away with the intrusion of domesticgriefs, or any other griefs, and in our hearts we know it and act up toit. Far gone, indeed, must we be in mental or physical agony before weabandon the attempt to keep up appearances. 

Augusta drank a little tea and ate a very small bit of bread-and-butter. As in the case of Mr. Meeson, the events of the day had not tended toincrease her appetite. Jeannie drank a little milk but ate nothing. Whenthis form had been gone through, and the maid-of-all-work had once moremade her appearance and cleared the table, Jeannie spoke again. 

"Gus, " she said, "I want you to put me to bed and then come and read tome out of 'Jemima's Vow'--where poor Jemima dies, you know. It is themost beautiful thing in the book, and I want to hear it again. "

Her sister did as she wished, and, taking down "Jemima's Vow, " Jeannie's_own_ copy as it was called, being the very first that had come into thehouse, she opened it at the part Jeannie had asked for and read aloud, keeping her voice as steady as she could. As a matter of fact, however, the scene itself was as powerful as it was pathetic, and quite sufficientto account for any unseemly exhibitions of feeling on the part of thereader. However, she struggled through it till the last sentence wasreached. It ran thus:--"And so Jemima stretched out her hand to him andsaid 'Good-bye. ' And presently, knowing that she had now kept herpromise, and being happy because she had done so, she went to sleep. "

"Ah!" murmured the blue-eyed child who listened. "I wish that I was asgood as Jemima. But though I have no vow to keep I can say 'Good-bye, 'and I can go to sleep. "

Augusta made no answer, and presently Jeannie dozed off. Her sisterlooked at her with eager affection. "She is giving up, " she said toherself, "and, if she gives up, she will die. I know it, it is because weare not going away. How can I get the money, now that that horrible manis gone? how can I get it?" and she buried her head in her hand andthought. Presently an idea struck her: she might go back to Meeson andeat her words, and sell him the copyright of her new book for £100, asthe agreement provided. That would not be enough, however; for travellingwith an invalid is expensive; but she might offer to bind herself over tohim for a term of years as a tame author, like those who worked in theHutches. She was sure that he would be glad to get her, if only he coulddo so at his own price. It would be slavery worse than any penalservitude, and even now she shudders at the prospect of prostituting hergreat abilities to the necessities of such work as Meeson's made theirthousands out of--work out of which every spark of originality wasstamped into nothingness, as though it were the mark of the Beast. Yes, it would be dreadful--it would break her heart; but she was prepared tohave her heart broken and her genius wrung out of her by inches, if onlyshe could get two hundred pounds wherewith to take Jeannie away to theSouth of France. Mr. Meeson would, no doubt, make a hard bargain--thehardest he could; but still, if she would consent to bind herself for asufficient number of years at a sufficiently low salary, he wouldprobably advance her a hundred pounds, besides the hundred for thecopyright of the new book. 

And so having made up her mind to the sacrifice, she went to bed, and, wearied out with misery, to sleep. And even as she slept, a Presence thatshe could not see was standing near her bed, and a Voice that she couldnot hear was calling through the gloom. Another mortal had bent low atthe feet of that Unknown God whom men name Death, and been borne away onhis rushing pinions into the spaces of the Hid. One more human item laystill and stiff, one more account was closed for good or evil, the echoof one more tread had passed from the earth for ever. The oldmillion-numbered tragedy in which all must take a part had repeateditself once more down to its last and most awful scene. Yes; the grimfarce was played out, and the little actor Jeannie was white in death!

Just at the dawn, Augusta dreamed that somebody with cold breath wasbreathing on her face, and woke up with a start and listened. Jeannie'sbed was on the other side of the room, and she could generally hear hermovements plainly enough, for the sick child was a restless sleeper. Butnow she could hear nothing, not even the faint vibration of her sister'sbreath. The silence was absolute and appalling; it struck tangibly uponher sense, as the darkness struck upon her eye-balls and filled her witha numb, unreasoning terror. She slipped out of bed and struck a match. Inanother few seconds she was standing by Jeannie's white little bed, waiting for the wick of the candle to burn up. Presently the light grew. Jeannie was lying on her side, her white face resting on her white arm. Her eyes were wide open; but when Augusta held the candle near her shedid not shut them or flinch. Her hand, too--oh, Heavens! the fingerswere nearly cold. 

Then Augusta understood, and lifting up her arms in agony, she shriekedtill the whole house rang. 

CHAPTER IV. 

AUGUSTA'S DECISION. 

On the second day following the death of poor little Jeannie Smithers, Mr. Eustace Meeson was strolling about Birmingham with his hands in hispockets, and an air of indecision on his decidedly agreeable andgentlemanlike countenance. Eustace Meeson was not particularly cast downby the extraordinary reverse of fortune which he had recentlyexperienced. He was a young gentleman of a cheerful nature; and, besides, it did not so very much matter to him. He was in a blessed condition ofcelibacy, and had no wife and children dependant upon him, and he knewthat, somehow or other, it would go hard if, with the help of the onehundred a year that he had of his own, he did not manage, with hiseducation, to get a living by hook or by crook. So it was not the loss ofthe society of his respected uncle, or the prospective enjoyment of twomillions of money, which was troubling him. Indeed, after he had oncecleared his goods and chattels out of Pompadour Hall and settled them ina room in an Hotel, he had not given the matter much thought. But he hadgiven a good many thoughts to Augusta Smithers' grey eyes and, by way ofgetting an insight into her character, he had at once invested in a copyof "Jemima's Vow, " thereby, somewhat against his will, swelling the gainsof Meeson's to the extent of several shillings. Now, "Jemima's Vow, "though simple and homely, was a most striking and powerful book, whichfully deserved the reputation that it had gained, and it affectedEustace--who was in so much different from most young men of his age thathe really did know the difference between good work and bad--morestrongly than he would have liked to own. Indeed, at the termination ofthe story, what between the beauty of Augusta's pages, the memory ofAugusta's eyes, and the knowledge of Augusta's wrongs, Mr. Eustace Meesonbegan to feel very much as though he had fallen in love. Accordingly, hewent out walking, and meeting a clerk whom he had known in the Meesonestablishment--one of those who had been discharged on the same day ashimself--he obtained from him Miss Smithers' address, and began toreflect as to whether or no he should call upon her. Unable to make uphis mind, he continued to walk till he reached the quiet street whereAugusta lived, and, suddenly perceiving the house of which the clerk hadtold him, yielded to temptation and rang. 

The door was answered by the maid-of-all-work, who looked at him a littlecuriously, but said that Miss Smithers was in, and then conducted him toa door which was half open, and left him in that kindly and agreeablefashion that maids-of-all-work have. Eustace was perplexed, and, lookingthrough the door to see if anyone was in the room, discovered Augustaherself dressed in some dark material, seated in a chair, her handsfolded on her lap, her pale face set like a stone, and her eyes gleaminginto vacancy. He paused, wondering what could be the matter, and as hedid so his umbrella slipped from his hand, making a noise that renderedit necessary for him to declare himself. 

Augusta rose as he advanced, and looked at him with a puzzled air, asthough she was striving to recall his name or where she had met him. 

"I beg your pardon, " he stammered, "I must introduce myself, as the girlhas deserted me--I am Eustace Meeson. "

Augusta's face hardened at the name. "If you have come to me from Messrs. Meeson and Co. "--she said quickly, and then broke off, as though struckby some new idea. 

"Indeed no, " said Eustace. "I have nothing in common with Messrs. Meeson now, except my name, and I have only come to tell you how sorryI was to see you treated as you were by my uncle. You remember I was inthe office?"

"Yes, " she said, with a suspicion of a blush, "I remember you werevery kind. "

"Well, you see, " he went on, "I had a great row with my uncle after that, and it ended in his turning me out of the place, bag and baggage, andinforming me that he was going to cut me off with a shilling, which, " headded reflectively, "he has probably done by now. "

"Do I understand you, Mr. Meeson, to mean that you quarrelled with youruncle about me and my books?"

"Yes; that is so, " he said. 

"It was very chivalrous of you, " she answered, looking at him with anew-born curiosity. Augusta was not accustomed to find knights-errantthus prepared, at such cost to themselves, to break a lance in her cause. Least of all was she prepared to find that knight bearing the hatefulcrest of Meeson--if, indeed, Meeson had a crest. 

"I ought to apologise, " she went on presently, after an awkward pause, "for making such a scene in the office, but I wanted money so dreadfully, and it was so hard to be refused. But it does not matter now. It is alldone with. "

There was a dull, hopeless ring about her voice that awoke hiscuriosity. For what could she have wanted the money, and why did she nolonger want it?

"I am sorry, " he said. "Will you tell me what you wanted it so much for?"

She looked at him, and then, acting upon impulse rather then reflection, said in a low voice, "If you like, I will show you. "

He bowed, wondering what was coming next. Rising from her chair, Augustaled the way to a door which opened out of the sitting-room, and gentlyturned the handle and entered. Eustace followed her. The room was a smallbed-room, of which the faded calico blind had been pulled down; as ithappened, however, the sunlight, such as it was, beat full upon theblind, and came through it in yellow bars. They fell upon the furnitureof the bare little room, they fell upon the iron bedstead, and uponsomething lying on it, which he did not at first notice, because it wascovered with a sheet. 

Augusta walked up to the bed and gently lifted the sheet, revealing thesweet face, fringed round about with golden hair, of little Jeannie, inher coffin. 

Eustace gave an exclamation, and started back violently. He had not beenprepared for such a sight; indeed it was the first such sight that he hadever seen, and it shocked him beyond words. Augusta, familiarised as shewas herself with the companionship of this beauteous clay cold Terror, had forgotten that, suddenly and without warning to bring the living intothe presence of the dead, is not the wisest or the kindest thing to do. For, to the living, more especially to the young, the sight of death ishorrible. It is such a fearsome comment on their health and strength. Youth and strength are merry; but who can be merry with yon dead thing inthe upper chamber? Take it away! thrust it underground! it is an insultto us; it reminds us that we, too, die like others. What business has itspallor to show itself against our ruddy cheeks?

"I beg your pardon, " whispered Augusta, realising something of all thisin a flash, "I forgot, you do not know--you must be shocked--Forgive me!"

"Who is it?" he said, gasping to get back his breath. 

"My sister, " she answered. "It was to try and save her life that I wantedthe money. When I told her that I could not get it, she gave up and died. Your uncle killed her. Come. "

Greatly shocked, he followed her back into the sitting-room, and then--assoon as he got his composure--apologised for having intruded himself uponher in such an hour of desolation. 

"I am glad to see you, " she said simply, "I have seen nobody exceptthe doctor once, and the undertaker twice. It is dreadful to sit alonehour after hour face to face with the irretrievable. If I had not beenso foolish as to enter into that agreement with Messrs. Meeson, Icould have got the money by selling my new book easily enough; and Ishould have been able to take Jeannie abroad, and I believe that shewould have lived--at least I hoped so. But now it is finished, andcannot be helped. "

"I wish I had known, " blundered Eustace, "I could have lent you themoney. I have a hundred and fifty pounds. "

"You are very good, " she answered gently, "but it is no use talking aboutit now, it is finished. "

Then Eustace rose and went away; and it was not till he found himself inthe street that he remembered that he had never asked Augusta what herplans were. Indeed, the sight of poor Jeannie had put everything else outof his head. However, he consoled himself with the reflection that hecould call again a week or ten days after the funeral. 

Two days later, Augusta followed the remains of her dearly beloved sisterto their last resting place, and then came home on foot (for she was theonly mourner), and sat in her black gown before the little fire, andreflected upon her position. What was she to do? She could not stay inthese rooms. It made her heart ache every time her eyes fell upon theempty sofa opposite, dinted as it was with the accustomed weight of poorJeannie's frame. Where was she to go, and what was she to do. She mightget literary employment, but then her agreement with Messrs. Meesonstared her in the face. That agreement was very widely drawn. It boundher to offer all literary work of any sort, that might come from her penduring the next five years, to Messrs. Meeson at the fixed rate of sevenper cent, on the published price. Obviously, as it seemed to her, thoughperhaps erroneously, this clause might be stretched to include even anewspaper article, and she knew the malignant nature of Mr. Meeson wellenough to be quite certain that, if possible, that would be done. It wastrue she might manage to make a bare living out of her work, even at thebeggarly pay of seven per cent, but Augusta was a person of spirit, anddetermined that she would rather starve than that Meeson should againmake huge profits out of her labour. This avenue being closed to her, sheturned her mind elsewhere; but, look where she might, the prospect wasequally dark. 

Augusta's remarkable literary success had not been of much practicaladvantage to her, for in this country literary success does not mean somuch as it does in some others. As a matter of fact, indeed, the averageBriton has, at heart, a considerable contempt, if not for literature, atleast for those who produce it. Literature, in his mind, is connectedwith the idea of garrets and extreme poverty; and, therefore, having thenational respect for money, he in secret, if not in public, despises it. A tree is known by its fruit, says he. Let a man succeed at the Bar, andhe makes thousands upon thousands a year, and is promoted to the highestoffices in the State. Let a man succeed in art, and he will be paid oneor two thousand pounds apiece for his most "pot-boilery" portraits. Butyour literary men--why, with a few fortunate exceptions, the best of thembarely make a living. What can literature be worth, if a man can't make afortune out of it? So argues the Briton--no doubt with some of his soundcommon sense. Not that he has no respect for genius. All men bow to truegenius, even when they fear and envy it. But he thinks a good deal moreof genius dead than genius living. However this may be, there is no doubtbut that if through any cause--such, for instance, as the suddendiscovery by the great and highly civilized American people that theseventh commandment was probably intended to apply to authors, amongstthe rest of the world--the pecuniary rewards of literary labor should beput more upon an equality with those of other trades, literature--as aprofession--will go up many steps in popular esteem. At present, if amember of a family has betaken himself to the high and honourable calling(for surely, it is both) of letters, his friends and relations are apt totalk about him in a shy and diffident, not to say apologetic, way; muchas they would had he adopted another sort of book-making as a means oflivelihood. 

Thus it was that, notwithstanding her success, Augusta had nowhere toturn in her difficulty. She had absolutely no literary connection. Nobodyhad called upon her, and sought her out in consequence of her book. Oneor two authors in London, and a few unknown people from different partsof the country and abroad, had written to her--that was all. Had shelived in town it might have been different; but, unfortunately for her, she did not. 

The more she thought, the less clear did her path become; until, at last, she got an inspiration. Why not leave England altogether? She had nothingto keep her here. She had a cousin--a clergyman--in New Zealand, whom shehad never seen, but who had read "Jemima's Vow, " and written her a kindletter about it. That was the one delightful thing about writing books;one made friends all over the world. Surely he would take her in for awhile, and put her in the way of earning a living where Meeson would notbe to molest her? Why should she not go? She had twenty pounds left, andthe furniture (which included an expensive invalid chair), and bookswould fetch another thirty or so--enough to pay for a second-classpassage and leave a few pounds in her pocket. At the worst it would be achange, and she could not go through more there than she did here, sothat very night she sat down and wrote to her clergyman cousin. 

CHAPTER V. 

THE R. M. S. KANGAROO. 

It was on a Tuesday evening that a mighty vessel was steamingmajestically out of the mouth of the Thames, and shaping her imposingcourse straight at the ball of the setting sun. Most people will rememberreading descriptions of the steamship Kangaroo, and being astonished atthe power of her engines, the beauty of her fittings, and theextraordinary speed--about eighteen knots--which she developed in hertrials, with an unusually low expenditure of coal. For the benefit ofthose who have not, however, it may be stated that the Kangaroo, "theLittle Kangaroo, " as she was ironically named among sailor men, was thevery latest development of the science of modern ship-building. Everything about her, from the electric light and boiler tubes up, was ona new and patent system. 

Four hundred feet and more she measured from stem to stern, and in thatspace were crowded and packed all the luxuries of a palace, and all theconveniences of an American hotel. She was a beautiful and a wonderfulthing to look on; as, with her holds full of costly merchandise and herdecks crowded with her living freight of about a thousand human beings, she steamed slowly out to sea, as though loth to leave the land where shewas born. But presently she seemed to gather up her energies and to growconscious of the thousands and thousands of miles of wide tossing water, which stretched between her and the far-off harbour where her mightyheart should cease from beating and be for a while at rest. Quicker andquicker she sped along, and spurned the churning water from her swiftsides. She was running under a full head of steam now, and the coast-lineof England grew faint and low in the faint, low light, till at last italmost vanished from the gaze of a tall, slim girl, who stood forward, clinging to the starboard bulwark netting and looking with deep grey eyesacross the waste of waters. Presently Augusta, for it was she, could seethe shore no more, and turned to watch the other passengers and think. She was sad at heart, poor girl, and felt what she was--a very waif uponthe sea of life. Not that she had much to regret upon the vanishedcoast-line. A little grave with a white cross over it--that was all. Shehad left no friends to weep for her, none. But even as she thought it, arecollection rose up in her mind of Eustace Meeson's pleasant, handsomeface, and of his kind words, and with it came a pang as she reflectedthat, in all probability, she should never see the one or hear the otheragain. Why, she wondered, had he not come to see her again? She shouldhave liked to bid him "Good-bye, " and had half a mind to send him a noteand tell him of her going. This, on second thoughts, however, she haddecided not to do; for one thing, she did not know his address, and--well, there was an end of it. 

Could she by the means of clairvoyance have seen Eustace's face and heardhis words, she would have regretted her decision. For even as that greatvessel plunged on her fierce way right into the heart of the gatheringdarkness, he was standing at the door of the lodging-house in the littlestreet in Birmingham. 

"Gone!" he was saying. "Miss Smithers gone to New Zealand! What isher address?"

"She didn't leave no address, sir, " replies the dirty maid-of-all-workwith a grin. "She went from here two days ago, and was going on to theship in London. "

"What was the name of the ship?" he asked, in despair. "Kan--Kon--Conger-eel, " replies the girl in triumph, and shuts the doorin his face. 

Poor Eustace! He had gone to London to try and get some employment, andhaving, after some difficulty, succeeded in obtaining a billet as readerin Latin, French and English to a publishing house of good repute, at asalary of £180 a year, he had hurried back to Birmingham for the solepurpose of seeing Miss Augusta Smithers, with whom, if the whole truthmust be told, he had, to his credit be it said, fallen deeply, truly, andviolently in love. Indeed, so far was he in this way gone, that he haddetermined to make all the progress that he could, and if he thought thatthere was any prospect of success, to declare his passion. This was, perhaps, a little premature; but then in these matters people are apt tobe more premature than is generally supposed. Human nature is very swiftin coming to conclusions in matters in which that strange mixture wecall the affections are involved; perhaps because, although theconclusion is not altogether a pleasing one, the affections, at any ratein the beginning, are largely dependent on the senses. 

Pity a poor young man! To come from London to Birmingham to woo one'sgrey-eyed mistress, in a third-class carriage too, and find her gone toNew Zealand, whither circumstances prevented him from following her, without leaving a word or a line, or even an address behind her! It wastoo bad. Well, there was no remedy in the matter; so he walked to therailway station, and groaned and swore all the way back to London. 

Augusta, on board the Kangaroo, was, however, in utter ignorance of thisact of devotion on the part of her admirer; indeed, she did not even knowthat he was her admirer. Feeling a curious sinking sensation within her, she was about to go below to her cabin, which she shared with alady's-maid, not knowing whether to attribute it to sentimental qualmsincidental to her lonely departure from the land of her birth, or toother qualms connected with the first experience of life upon the oceanwave. About that moment, however, a burly quarter-master addressed her ingruff tones, and informed her that if she wanted to see the last of "holdHalbion, " she had better go aft a bit, and look over the port side, andshe would see the something or other light. Accordingly, more to prove toherself that she was not sea-sick than for any other reason, she did so, and, standing as far aft as the second-class passengers were allowed togo, stared at the quick flashes of the light-house, as second by second, they sent their message across the great waste of sea. 

As she stood there, holding on to a stanchion to steady herself, for thevessel, large as she was, had begun to get a bit of a roll on, she wassuddenly aware of a bulky figure of a man which came running or ratherreeling against the bulwarks alongside of her, where it--or ratherhe--was instantly and violently ill. Augusta was, not unnaturally, almosthorrified into following the figure's example, when, suddenly growingfaint or from some other cause, it loosed its hold and rolled into thescuppers, where it lay feebly swearing. Augusta, obeying a tender impulseof humanity, hurried forward and stretched out the hand of succour, andpresently, between her help and that of the bulwark netting, the manstruggled to his feet. As he did so his face came close to hers, and inthe dim light she recognised the fat, coarse features, now blanched withmisery, of Mr. Meeson, the publisher. There was no doubt about it, it washer enemy; the man whose behavior had indirectly, as she believed, causedthe death of her little sister. She dropped his hand with an exclamationof disgust and dismay, and as she did so he recognised who she was. 

"Hullo!" he said, with a faint and rather feeble attempt to assume hisfine old crusted publishing-company manners. "Hullo! MissJemima--Smithers, I mean; what on earth are you doing here?"

"I am going to New Zealand, Mr. Meeson, " she answered sharply; "andI certainly did not expect to have the pleasure of your company onthe voyage. "

"Going to New Zealand, " he said, "are you? Why, so am I; at least, I amgoing there first, then to Australia. What do you mean to do there--tryand run round our little agreement, eh? It won't be any good, I tell youplainly. We have our agents in New Zealand, and a house in Australia, and if you try to get the better of Meeson's there, Meeson's will beeven with you, Miss Smithers--Oh, Heavens! I feel as though I werecoming to pieces. "

"Don't alarm yourself, Mr. Meeson, " she answered, "I am not going topublish any more books at present. "

"That is a pity, " he said, "because your stuff is good selling stuff. Anypublisher would find money in it. I suppose you are second-class, MissSmithers, so we shan't see much of each other; and, perhaps, if we shouldmeet, it might be as well if we didn't seem to have any acquaintance. Itdon't look well for a man in my position to know second-class passengers, especially young lady passengers who write novels. "

"You need not be afraid, Mr. Meeson: I have no wish to claim youracquaintance, " said Augusta. 

At this point, her enemy was taken violently worse again, and, beingunable to stand the sight and sound of his writhing and groaning, shefled forward; and, reflecting on this strange and awkward meeting, wentdown to her own berth, where, with lucid intervals, she remained helplessand half stupid for the next three days. On the fourth day, however, shereappeared on deck quite recovered, and with an excellent appetite. Shehad her breakfast, and then went and sat forward in as quiet a place asshe could find. She did not want to see Mr. Meeson any more, and she didwant to escape from the stories of her cabin-mate, the lady's-maid. Thisgood person would, after the manner of her kind, insist upon repeating toher a succession of histories connected with members of the families withwhom she had lived, many of which were sufficient to make the hair of arespectable young lady like Augusta stand positively on end. No doubtthey were interesting to her in her capacity of a novelist; but, as theywere all of the same colour, and as their tendency was absolutely todestroy any belief she might have in virtue as an inherent quality inhighly developed woman or honour in man, Augusta soon wearied of these_chroniques scandaleuses_. So she went forward, and was sitting lookingat the "white horses" chasing each other across the watery plain, andreflecting upon what the condition of mind of those ladies whosehistories she had recently heard would be if they knew that their mostsecret, and in some cases disgraceful and tragic, love affairs were thecommon talk of a dozen servants' halls, when suddenly she was astonishedby the appearance of a splendid official bearing a book. At first, fromthe quantity of gold lace with which his uniform was adorned, Augustatook him to be the captain; but it presently transpired that he was onlythe chief steward. 

"Please, Miss, " he said, touching his hat and holding out the book in hishand towards her, "the captain sends his compliments and wants to know ifyou are the young lady who wrote this. "

Augusta glanced at the work. It was a copy of "Jemima's Vow. " Then shereplied that she was the writer of it, and the steward vanished. 

Later on in the morning came another surprise. The gorgeous officialagain appeared, touched his cap, and said that the captain desired him tosay that orders had been given to have her things moved to a cabinfurther aft. At first Augusta demurred to this, not from any love of thelady's-maid, but because she had a truly British objection to beingordered about. 

"Captain's orders, Miss, " said the man, touching his cap again; andshe yielded. 

Nor had she any cause to regret doing so; for, to her huge delight, shefound herself moved into a charming deck-cabin on the starboard side ofthe vessel, some little way abaft the engine-room. It was evidently anofficer's cabin, for there, over the head of the bed, was the picture ofa young lady he adored, and also some neatly fitted shelves of books, arack of telescopes, and other seaman-like contrivances. 

"Am I to have this cabin to myself?" asked Augusta of the steward. 

"Yes, Miss; those are the captain's orders. It is Mr. Jones's cabin. Mr. Jones is the second officer; but he has turned in with Mr. Thomas, thefirst officer, and given up the cabin to you. "

"I am sure it's very kind of Mr. Jones, " murmured Augusta, not knowingwhat to make of this turn of fortune. But surprises were not to endthere. A few minutes afterwards, just as she was leaving the cabin, agentleman in uniform came up, in whom she recognized the captain. He wasaccompanied by a pretty fair-haired woman very becomingly dressed. 

"Excuse me; Miss Smithers, I believe?" he said, with a bow. 

"Yes. "

"I am Captain Alton. I hope you like your new cabin. Let me introduce youto Lady Holmhurst, wife of Lord Holmhurst, the New Zealand Governor, youknow. Lady Holmhurst, this is Miss Smithers, whose book you were talkingso much about. "

"Oh! I am delighted to make your acquaintance, Miss Smithers, " said thegreat lady in a manner that evidently was not assumed. "Captain Alton haspromised that I shall sit next to you at dinner, and then we can have agood talk. I don't know when I have been so much delighted with anythingas I was with your book. I have read it three times, what do you think ofthat for a busy woman?"

"I think there is some mistake, " said Augusta, hurriedly and with aslight blush. "I am a second-class passenger on board this ship, andtherefore cannot have the pleasure of sitting next to Lady Holmhurst. "

"Oh, that is all right, Miss Smithers, " said the captain, with a jollylaugh. "You are my guest, and I shall take no denial. "

"When we find genius for once in our lives, we are not going to lose theopportunity of sitting at its feet, " added Lady Holmhurst, with a littlemovement towards her which was neither curtsey nor bow, but rather ahappy combination of both. The compliment was, Augusta felt, sincere, however much it exaggerated the measure of her poor capacities, and, putting other things aside, was, coming as it did from one woman toanother, peculiarly graceful and surprising. She blushed and bowed, scarcely knowing what to say, when suddenly, Mr. Meeson's harsh tones, pitched just now in a respectful key, broke upon her ear. Mr. Meeson wasaddressing no less a person than Lord Holmhurst, G. C. M. G. Lord Holmhurstwas a stout, short, dark little man, with a somewhat pompous manner, anda kindly face. He was a Colonial Governor of the first water, and wasperfectly aware of the fact. 

Now, a Colonial Governor, even though he be a G. C. M. G. When he is athome, is not a name to conjure with, and does not fill an exclusive placein the eye of the English world. There are many Colonial Governors in thepresent and past tense to be found in the purlieus of South Kensington, where their presence creates no unusual excitement. But when one of thishonourable corps sets foot upon the vessel destined to bear him to theshores that he shall rule, all this changes. He puts off the body of theordinary betitled individual and puts on the body of the celestialbrotherhood. In short, from being nobody out of the common he becomes, and very properly so, a great man. Nobody knew this better than LordHolmhurst, and to a person fond of observing such things nothing couldhave been more curious to notice than the small, but gradual increase ofthe pomposity of his manner, as the great ship day by day steamed furtherfrom England and nearer to the country where he was King. It went up, degree by degree, like a thermometer which is taken down into the bowelsof the earth or gradually removed into the sunlight. At present, however, the thermometer was only rising. 

"I was repeating, my Lord, " said the harsh voice of Mr. Meeson, "thatthe principle of an hereditary peerage is the grandest principle ourcountry has yet developed. It gives us something to look forward to. Inone generation we make the money; in the next we take the title whichthe money buys. Look at your Lordship. Your Lordship is now in a proudposition; but, as I have understood, your Lordship's father was atrader like me. "

"Hum!--well, not exactly, Mr. Meeson, " broke in Lord Holmhurst. "Dearme, I wonder who that exceedingly nice-looking girl Lady Holmhurst istalking to can be!"

"Now, your Lordship, to put a case, " went on the remorseless Meeson, who, like most people of his stamp, had an almost superstitious veneration forthe aristocracy, "I have made a great deal of money, as I do not mindtelling your Lordship; what is there to prevent my successor--supposing Ihave a successor--from taking advantage of that money, and rising on itto a similar position to that so worthily occupied by your Lordship?"

"Exactly, Mr. Meeson. A most excellent idea for your successor. Excuseme, but I see Lady Holmhurst beckoning to me. " And he fled precipitately, still followed by Mr. Meeson. 

"John, my dear!" said Lady Holmhurst, "I want to introduce you to MissSmithers--_the_ Miss Smithers whom we have all been talking about, andwhose book you have been reading. Miss Smithers, my husband!"

Lord Holmhurst, who, when he was not deep in the affairs of State, had aconsiderable eye for a pretty girl--and what man worthy of the name hasnot?--bowed most politely, and was proceeding to tell Augusta, in verycharming language, how delighted he was to make her acquaintance, whenMr. Meeson arrived on the scene and perceived Augusta for the first time. Quite taken aback at finding her, apparently, upon the very best of termswith people of such quality, he hesitated to consider what course toadopt; whereon Lady Holmhurst in a somewhat formal way, for she was notvery fond of Mr. Meeson, mistaking his hesitation, went on to introducehim. Thereupon, all in a moment, as we do sometimes take suchresolutions, Augusta came to a determination. She would have nothing moreto do with Mr. Meeson--she would repudiate him then and there, come whatwould of it. 

So, as he advanced upon her with outstretched hand, she drew herself up, and in a cold and determined voice said, "I already know Mr. Meeson, LadyHolmhurst; and I do not wish to have anything more to do with him. Mr. Meeson has not behaved well to me. "

"'Pon my word, " murmured Lord Holmhurst to himself, "I don't wonder shehas had enough of him. Sensible young woman, that!"

Lady Holmhurst looked a little astonished and a little amused. Suddenly, however, a light broke upon her. 

"Oh! I see, " she said. "I suppose that Mr. Meeson published 'Jemima'sVow. ' Of course that accounts for it. Why, I declare there is the dinnerbell! Come along, Miss Smithers, or we shall lose the place the captainhas promised us. " And, accordingly, they went, leaving Mr. Meeson, whohad not yet realized the unprecedented nature of the position, positivelygasping on the deck. And on board the Kangaroo there were no clerks andeditors on whom he could wreck his wrath!

"And now, my dear Miss Smithers, " said Lady Holmhurst when, dinnerbeing over, they were sitting together in the moonlight, near thewheel, "perhaps you will tell me why you don't like Mr. Meeson, whom, by-the-way, I personally detest. But don't, if you don't wishto, you know. "

But Augusta did wish to, and then and there she unfolded her whole sadstory into her new-found friend's sympathetic ear; and glad enough thepoor girl was to find a confidant to whom she could unbosom her sorrows. 

"Well, upon my word!" said Lady Holmhurst, when she had listened withtears in her eyes to the history of poor little Jeannie's death, "upon myword, of all the brutes I ever heard of, I think that this publisher ofyours is the worst! I will cut him, and get my husband to cut him too. But no, I have a better plan than that. He shall tear up that agreement, so sure as my name is Bessie Holmhurst; he shall tear it up, or--or"--andshe nodded her little head with an air of infinite wisdom. 

CHAPTER VI. 

MR. TOMBEY GOES FORWARD. 

From that day forward, the voyage on the Kangaroo was, until the lastdread catastrophe, a very happy one for Augusta. Lord and Lady Holmhurstmade much of her, and all the rest of the first-class passengers followedsuit, and soon she found herself the most popular character on board. Thetwo copies of her book that there were on the ship were passed on fromhand to hand till they would hardly hang together, and, really, at lastshe got quite tired of hearing of her own creations. But this was notall; Augusta was, it will be remembered, an exceedingly pretty woman, andmelancholy as the fact may seem, it still remains a fact that a prettywoman is in the eyes of most people a more interesting object than a man, or than a lady, who is not "built that way. " Thus it came to pass thatwhat between her youth, her beauty, her talent, and her misfortunes--forLady Holmhurst had not exactly kept that history to herself--Augusta wasall of a sudden elevated into the position of a perfect heroine. Itreally almost frightened the poor girl, who had been accustomed tonothing but sorrow, ill-treatment and grinding poverty, to suddenly findherself in this strange position, with every man on board that greatvessel at her beck and call. But she was human, and therefore, of courseshe enjoyed it. It _is_ something when one has been wandering for hourafter hour in the wet and melancholy night, suddenly to see the fair dawnbreaking and burning overhead, and to know that the worst is over, fornow there will be light whereby to set our feet. It is something, too, tothe most Christian soul, to utterly and completely triumph over one whohad done all in his power to crush and destroy you; whose grasping greedhas indirectly been the cause of the death of the person you loved bestin the whole world round. And she did triumph. As Mr. Meeson's conduct toher got about, the little society of the ship--which was, after all avery fair example of all society in miniature--fell away from thispublishing Prince, and not even the jingling of his money-bags could lureit back. He the great, the practically omnipotent, the owner of twomillions, and the hard master of hundreds upon whose toil he battened, was practically _cut_. Even the clerk, who was going out on a chance ofgetting a place in a New Zealand bank, would have nothing to say to him. And what is more, he felt it more even than an ordinary individual wouldhave done. He, the "Printer-devil, " as poor little Jeannie used to callhim, he to be slighted and flouted by a pack of people whom he could buyup three times over, and all on account of a wretched authoress--anauthoress, if you please! It made Mr. Meeson very wild--a state ofaffairs which was brought to a climax when one morning Lord Holmhurst, who had for several days been showing a growing dislike to his society, actually almost cut him dead; that is, he did not notice his outstretchedhand, and passed him with a slight bow. 

"Never mind, my Lord--never mind!" muttered Mr. Meeson after thatsomewhat pompous but amiable nobleman's retreating form. "We'll see if Ican't come square with you. I'm a dog who can pull a string or two in theEnglish press, I am! Those who have the money and have got a hold ofpeople, so that they must write what they tell them, ain't people to becut by any Colonial Governor, my Lord!" And in his anger he fairly shookhis fist at the unconscious Peer. 

"Seem to be a little out of temper, Mr. Meeson, " said a voice athis elbow, the owner of which was a big young man with hard butkindly features and a large moustache. "What has the Governor beendoing to you?"

"Doing, Mr. Tombey? He's been cutting me, that's all--me, Meeson!--cutting me as dead as offal, or something like it. I held out myhand and he looked right over it, and marched by. "

"Ah!" said Mr. Tombey, who was a wealthy New Zealand landowner; "and now, why do you suppose he did that?"

"Why? I'll tell you why. It's all about that girl. "

"Miss Smithers, do you mean?" said Tombey the big, with a curious flashof his deep-set eyes. 

"Yes, Miss Smithers. She wrote a book, and I bought the book for fiftypounds, and stuck a clause in that she should give me the right topublish anything she wrote for five years at a price--a common sort ofthing enough in one way and another, when you are dealing with some idiotwho don't know any better. Well, as it happened this book sold likewild-fire; and, in time the young lady comes to me and wants more money, wants to get out of the hanging clause in the agreement, wantseverything, like a female Oliver Twist; and when I say, 'No, you don't, 'loses her temper, and makes a scene. And it turns out that what shewanted the money for was to take a sick sister, or cousin, or aunt, orsomeone, out of England; and when she could not do it, and the relationdied, then she emigrates, and goes and tells the people on board shipthat it is all my fault. "

"And I suppose that that is a conclusion that you do not feel drawn to, Mr. Meeson?"

"No Tombey, I don't. Business is business; and if I happen to have got towindward of the young woman, why, so much the better for me. She'sgetting her experience, that's all; and she ain't the first, and won't bethe last. But if she goes saying much more about me, I go for her forslander, that's sure. "

"On the legal ground that the greater the truth, the greater the libel, I presume?"

"Confound her!" went on Meeson, without noticing his remark, andcontracting his heavy eyebrows, "there's no end to the trouble she hasbrought on me. I quarrelled with my nephew about her, and now she'sdragging my name through the dirt here, and I'll bet the story will goall over New Zealand and Australia. "

"Yes, " said Mr. Tombey, "I fancy you will find it take a lot ofchoking; and now, Mr. Meeson, with your permission I will say a word, and try and throw a new light upon a very perplexing matter. It neverseems to have occurred to you what an out-and-out blackguard you are, soI may as well put it to you plainly. If you are not a thief, you are, atleast, a very well-coloured imitation. You take a girl's book and makehundreds upon hundreds out of it, and give her fifty. You tie her down, so as to provide for successful swindling of the same sort, duringfuture years, and then, when she comes to beg a few pounds of you, youshow her the door. And now you wonder, Mr. Meeson, that respectablepeople will have nothing to do with you! Well, now, I tell you, _my_opinion is that the only society to which you would be really suited isthat of cow-hide. Good morning, " and the large young man walked off, hisvery moustachios curling with wrath and contempt. Thus, for a secondtime, did the great Mr. Meeson hear the truth from the lips of babes andsucklings, and the worst of it was that he could not disinherit NumberTwo as he had Number One. 

Now this will strike the reader as being very warm advocacy on the partof Mr. Tombey, who, being called in to console and bless, cursed withsuch extraordinary vigour. It may even strike the discerning reader--andall readers, or, at least, nearly all readers, are of course discerning:far too much so, indeed--that there must have been a reason for it; andthe discerning reader will be right. Augusta's grey eyes had been toomuch for Mr. Tombey, as they had been too much for Eustace Meeson beforehim. His passion had sprung up and ripened in that peculiarly rapid andvigorous fashion that passions do on board ship. A passenger steamer isCupid's own hot-bed, and in this way differs from a sailing-ship. On thesailing-ship, indeed, the preliminary stages are the same. The seed rootsas strongly, and grows and flowers with equal vigour; but here comes themelancholy part--it withers and decays with equal rapidity. The voyage istoo long. Too much is mutually revealed. The matrimonial iron cannot bestruck while it is hot, and long before the weary ninety days are over itis once more cold and black, or at the best glows with but a feeble heat. But on the steamship there is no time for this, as any traveller knows. Myself--I, the historian--have, with my own eyes seen a couple meet forthe first time at Maderia, get married at the Cape, and go on as man andwife in the same vessel to Natal. And, therefore, it came to pass thatvery evening a touching, and, on the whole melancholy, little scene wasenacted near the smoke-stack of the Kangaroo. 

Mr. Tombey and Miss Augusta Smithers were leaning together over thebulwarks and watching the phosphorescent foam go flashing past. Mr. Tombey was nervous and ill at ease; Miss Smithers very much at ease, andreflecting that her companion's moustachios would very well become avillain in a novel. 

Mr. Tombey looked at the star-spangled sky, on which the Southern Crosshung low, and he looked at the phosphorescent sea; but from neither didinspiration come. Inspiration is from within, and not from without. Atlast, however, he made a gallant and a desperate effort. 

"Miss Smithers, " he said in a voice trembling with agitation. 

"Yes, Mr. Tombey, " answered Augusta, quietly; "what is it?"

"Miss Smithers, " he went on--"Miss Augusta, I don't know what youwill think of me, but I must tell you, I can't keep it any longer, Ilove you!"

Augusta fairly jumped. Mr. Tombey had been very, even markedly, polite, and she, not being a fool, had seen that he admired her; but she hadnever expected this, and the suddenness with which the shot was fired wassomewhat bewildering. 

"Why, Mr. Tombey, " she said in a surprised voice, "you have only known mefor a little more than a fortnight. "

"I fell in love with you when I had only known you for an hour, " heanswered with evident sincerity. "Please listen to me. I know I am notworthy of you! But I do love you so very dearly, and I would make you agood husband; indeed I would, I am well off; though, of course that isnothing; and if you don't like New Zealand, I would give it up and go tolive in England. Do you think that you can take me? If you only knew howdearly I love you, I am sure you would. "

Augusta collected her wits as well as she could. The man evidently didlove her; there was no doubting the sincerity of his words, and she likedhim and he was a gentleman. If she married him there would be an end ofall her worries and troubles, and she could rest contentedly on hisstrong arm. Woman, even gifted woman, is not made to fight the world withher own hand, and the prospect had allurements. But while she thought, Eustace Meeson's bonny face rose before her eyes, and, as it did so, afaint feeling of repulsion to the man who was pleading with her took formand colour in her breast. Eustace Meeson, of course, was nothing to her;no word or sign of affection had passed between them; and the probabilitywas that she would never set her eyes upon him again. And yet that facerose up between her and this man who was pleading at her side. Manywomen, likely enough, have seen some such vision from the past and havedisregarded it, only to find too late that that which is thrust aside isnot necessarily hidden; for alas! those faces of our departed youth havean uncanny trick of rising from the tomb of our forgetfulness. ButAugusta was not of the great order of opportunists. Because a thing mightbe convenient, it did not, according to the dictates of her moral sense, follow that it was lawful. Therefore, she was a woman to be respected. For a woman who, except under most exceptional circumstances, gives herinstincts the lie in order to pander to her convenience or her desire forwealth and social ease, is not altogether a woman to be respected. 

In a very few seconds she had made up her mind. 

"I am very much obliged to you, Mr. Tombey, " she said; "you have done mea great honour, the greatest honour man can do to a woman; but I cannotmarry you. "

"Are you sure?" gasped the unfortunate Tombey, for his hopes had beenhigh. "Is there no hope for me? Perhaps there is somebody else!"

"There is nobody else, Mr. Tombey; and, I am sorry to say, you don't knowhow much it pains me to say it, I cannot hold out any prospect that Ishall change my mind. "

He dropped his head upon his hands for a minute, and then lifted itagain. 

"Very well, " he said slowly; "it can't be helped. I never loved anywoman before, and I never shall again. It is a pity "--(with a hard, little laugh)--"that so much first-class affection should be wasted. But, there you are; it is all part and parcel of the pleasantexperiences which make up our lives. Good-bye, Miss Smithers; at least, good-bye as a friend!"

"We can still be friends, " she faltered. 

"Oh, no, " he answered, with another laugh; "that is an exploded notion. Friendship of that nature is not very safe under any circumstances, certainly not under these. The relationship is antagonistic to the factsof life, and the friends, or one or other of them, will drift eitherinto indifference and dislike, or--something warmer. You are a novelist, Miss Smithers; perhaps some day you will write a book to explain whypeople fall in love where their affection is not wanted, and whatpurpose their distress can possibly serve. And now, once more, goodbye!" and he lifted her hand to his lips and gently kissed it, and then, with a bow, turned and went. 

From all of which it will be clearly seen that Mr. Tombey was decidedly ayoung man above the average, and one who took punishment very well. Augusta looked after him, and sighed deeply, and even wiped away a tear. Then she turned and walked aft, to where Lady Holmhurst was sittingenjoying the balmy southern air, through which the great ship was rushingwith outspread sails like some huge white bird, and chatting to thecaptain. As she came up, the captain made his bow and departed, sayingthat he had something to see to, and for a minute Lady Holmhurst andAugusta were left alone. 

"Well, Augusta?" said Lady Holmhurst, for she called her "Augusta" now. "And what have you done with that young man, Mr. Tombey--that very niceyoung man?" she added with emphasis. 

"I think that Mr. Tombey went forward, " said Augusta. 

The two women looked at each other, and, womanlike, each understood whatthe other meant. Lady Holmhurst had not been altogether innocent in theTombey affair. 

"Lady Holmhurst, " said Augusta, taking the bull by the horns, "Mr. Tombeyhas been speaking to me and has"--

"Proposed to you, " suggested Lady Holmhurst, admiring the Southern Crossthrough her eyeglasses. "You said he went forward, you know. "

"Has proposed to me, " answered Augusta, ignoring the little joke. "Iregret, " she went on hurriedly, "that I have not been able to fall inwith Mr. Tombey's plans. "

"Ah!" said Lady Holmhurst; "I am sorry, for some things. Mr. Tombey issuch a very nice young man, and so very gentlemanlike. I thought thatperhaps it might suit your views, and it would have simplified yourfuture arrangements. But as to that, of course, while you are in NewZealand, I shall be able to see to that. By-the-way, it is understoodthat you come to stay with us for a few months at Government House, before you hunt up your cousin. "

"You are very good to me, Lady Holmhurst, " said Augusta, with somethinglike a sob. 

"Suppose, my dear, " answered the great lady, laying her little hand uponAugusta's beautiful hair, "that you were to drop the 'Lady Holmhurst' andcall me 'Bessie?' it sounds so much more sociable, you know, and, besides; it is shorter, and does not waste so much breath. "

Then Augusta sobbed outright, for her nerves were shaken: "You don't knowwhat your kindness means to me, " she said; "I have never had a friend, and since my darling died I have been so very lonely!"

CHAPTER VII. 

THE CATASTROPHE. 

And so these two fair women talked, making plans for the future as thoughall things endured forever, and all plans were destined to be realized. But even as they talked, somewhere up in the high heavens the Voice thatrules the world spoke a word, and the Messenger of Fate rushed forth todo its bidding. On board the great ship was music and laughter and thesweet voices of singing women; but above it hung a pall of doom. Not themost timid heart dreamed of danger. What danger could there be aboard ofthat grand ship, which sped across the waves with the lightness andconfidence of the swallow? There was naught to fear. A prosperous voyagewas drawing to its end, and mothers put their babes to sleep with as surea heart as though they were on solid English ground. Oh! surely when hisoverflowing load of sorrows and dire miseries was meted out to man, somegentle Spirit pleaded for him--that he should not have foresight addedto the tale, that he should not see the falling knife or hear the waterlapping that one day shall entomb him? Or, was it kept back because man, having knowledge, would be man without reason?--for terror would make himmad, and he would end his fears by hurrying their fulfilment! At least, we are blind to the future, and let us be thankful for it. 

Presently Lady Holmhurst got up from her chair, and said that she wasgoing to bed, but that, first of all, she must kiss Dick, her little boy, who slept with his nurse in another cabin. Augusta rose and went withher, and they both kissed the sleeping child, a bonny boy of five, andthen they kissed each other and separated for the night. 

Some hours afterwards Augusta woke up, feeling very restless. For anhour or more she lay thinking of Mr. Tombey and many other things, andlistening to the swift "lap, lap, " of the water as it slipped past thevessel's sides, and the occasional tramp of the watch as they set freshsails. At last her feeling of unrest got too much for her, and she roseand partially, very partially, dressed herself--for in the gloom shecould only find her flannel vest and petticoat--twisted her long hairin a coil round her head, put on a hat and a thick ulster that hungupon the door--for they were running into chilly latitudes--and slippedout on deck. 

It was getting towards dawn, but the night was still dark. Looking up, Augusta could only just make out the outlines of the huge bellyingsails, for the Kangaroo was rushing along before the westerly wind undera full head of steam, and with every inch of her canvas set to ease thescrew. There was something very exhilarating about the movement, thefreshness of the night, and the wild, sweet song of the wind as it sangamongst the rigging. Augusta turned her face toward it, and, beingalone, stretched out her arms as though to catch it. The whole sceneawoke some answering greatness in her heart; something that slumbers inthe bosom of the higher race of human beings, and only stirs--and thenbut faintly--when the passions move them, or when nature communes withher nobler children. She felt that at that moment she could write as shehad never written yet. All sorts of beautiful ideas, all sorts ofaspirations after that noble calm, and purity of thought and life forwhich we pray and long, but are not allowed to reach, came flowing intoher heart. She almost thought that she could hear her lost Jeannie'svoice calling down the gale, and her strong imagination began to painther hovering like a sea-bird upon white wings high above the mainmast'staper point, and gazing through the darkness into the soul of her sheloved. Then, by those faint and imperceptible degrees with whichthoughts fade one into another, from Jeannie her thought got round toEustace Meeson. She wondered if he had ever called at the lodgings atBirmingham after she left? Somehow, she had an idea that he was notaltogether indifferent to her; there had been a look in his eyes she didnot quite understand. She almost wished now she had sent him a line or amessage. Perhaps she would do so from New Zealand. Just then hermeditations were interrupted by a step, and, turning round, she foundherself face to face with the captain. 

"Why, Miss Smithers!" he said, "what on earth are you doing here at thishour?--making up romances?"

"Yes, " she answered, laughing, and with perfect truth. "The fact ofthe matter is, I could not sleep, and so I came on deck; and verypleasant it is!"

"Yes, " said the captain, "If you want something to put into your storiesyou won't find anything better than this. The Kangaroo is showing herheels, isn't she, Miss Smithers? That's the beauty of her, she can sailas well as steam; and when she has a strong wind like this abaft, itwould have to be something very quick that would catch her. I believethat we have been running over seventeen knots an hour ever sincemidnight. I hope to make Kerguelen Island by seven o'clock to correct mychronometers. "

"What is Kerguelen Island?" asked Augusta. 

"Oh! it is a desert place where nobody goes, except now and then awhaler to fill up with water. I believe that the astronomers sent anexpedition there a few years ago, to observe the transit of Venus: butit was a failure because the weather was so misty--it is nearly alwaysmisty there. Well, I must be off, Miss Smithers. Good night; or, rather, good morning. "

Before the words were well out of his mouth, there was a wild shoutforward--"_ship ahead_!" Then came an awful yell from a dozenvoices--"_starboard! Hard-a-starboard, for God's sake_. "

With a wild leap, like the leap of a man suddenly shot, the captain lefther side and rushed on to the bridge. At the same instant theengine-bell rang and the steering-chains began to rattle furiously onthe rollers at her feet as the steam steering-gear did its work. Thencame another yell--

"_It's a whaler!--no lights_!" and an answering shriek of terror fromsome big black object that loomed ahead. Before the echoes had died away, before the great ship could even answer to her helm, there was a crash, such as Augusta had never heard, and a sickening shock, that threw her onher hands and knees on the deck, shaking the iron masts till theytrembled as though they were willow wands, and making the huge sails flapand for an instant fly aback. The great vessel, rushing along at herfrightful speed of seventeen knots, had plunged into the ship ahead withsuch hideous energy that she cut her clean in two--cut her in two andpassed over her, as though she were a pleasure-boat!

Shriek upon shriek of despair came piercing the gloomy night, and then, as Augusta struggled to her feet, she felt a horrible succession ofbumps, accompanied by a crushing, grinding noise. It was the Kangaroodriving right over the remains of the whaler. 

In a very few seconds it was done, and looking astern, Augusta could justmake out something black that seemed to float for a second or two uponthe water, and then disappear into its depths. It was the shattered hullof the whaler. 

Then there arose a faint murmuring sound, that grew first into a hum, then into a roar, and then into a clamour that rent the skies, and upfrom every hatchway and cabin in the great ship, human beings--men, women, and children--came rushing and tumbling, with faces white withterror--white as their night-gear. Some were absolutely naked, havingslipped off their night-dress and had no time to put on anything else;some had put on ulsters and great-coats, others had blankets thrown roundthem or carried their clothes in their hands. Up they came, hundreds andhundreds of them (for there were a thousand souls on board the Kangaroo), pouring aft like terrified spirits flying from the mouth of Hell, andfrom them arose such a hideous clamour as few have lived to hear. 

Augusta clung to the nettings to let the rush go by, trying to collecther scattered senses and to prevent herself from catching the dreadfulcontagion of the panic. Being a brave and cool-headed woman, shepresently succeeded, and with her returning clearness of vision sherealized that she and all on board were in great peril. It was clear thatso frightful a collision could not have taken place without injury totheir own vessel. Nothing short of an iron-clad ram could have stood sucha shock, probably they would founder in a few minutes, and all bedrowned. In a few minutes she might be dead! Her heart stood still at thehorror of the thought, but once more she recovered herself. Well, afterall, life had not been pleasant; and she had nothing to fear from anotherworld, she had done no wrong. Then suddenly she began to think of theothers. Where was Lady Holmhurst? and where were the boy and the nurse?Acting upon the impulse she did not stay to realize, she ran to thesaloon hatchway. It was fairly clear now, for most of the people were ondeck, and she found her way to the child's cabin with but littledifficulty. There was a light in it, and the first glance showed her thatthe nurse had gone; gone, and deserted the child--for there he lay, asleep, with a smile upon his little round face. The shock had scarcelywakened the boy, and, knowing nothing of ship-wrecks, he had just shuthis eyes and gone to sleep again. 

"Dick, Dick!" she said, shaking him. 

He yawned and sat up, and then threw himself down again saying, "Dick sleepy. "

"Yes, but Dick must wake up, and Auntie" (he called her "auntie") "willtake him up on deck to look for Mummy. Won't it be nice to go on deck inthe dark. "

"Yes, " said Dick, with confidence; and Augusta took him on her knee andhurried him into such of his clothes as came handy, as quickly as shecould. On the cabin-door was a warm little pea-jacket which the childwore when it was cold. This she put on over his blouse and flannel shirt, and then, by an after-thought, took the two blankets off his bunk andwrapped them round him. At the foot of the nurse's bed was a box ofbiscuits and some milk. The biscuits she emptied into the pockets of herulster, and having given the child as much of the milk as he would drink, swallowed the rest herself. Then, pinning a shawl which lay about roundher own shoulders, she took up the child and made her way with him on tothe deck. At the head of the companion she met Lord Holmhurst himself, rushing down to look after the child. 

"I have got him, Lord Holmhurst, " she cried; "the nurse has run away. Where is your wife?"

"Bless you, " he said fervently; "you are a good girl. Bessie is aftsomewhere: I would not let her come. They are trying to keep the peopleoff the boats--they are all mad!"

"Are we sinking?" she asked faintly. 

"God knows--ah! here is the captain, " pointing to a man who was walking, or rather pushing his way, rapidly towards them through the maddened, screeching mob. Lord Holmhurst caught him by the arm. 

"Let me go, " he said roughly, trying to shake himself loose. "Oh! it isyou, Lord Holmhurst. "

"Yes; step in here for one second and tell us the worst. Speak up, man, and let us know all!"

"Very well, Lord Holmhurst, I will. We have run down a whaler of aboutfive hundred tons, which was cruising along under reduced canvas andshowing no lights. Our fore compartment is stove right in, bulging outthe plates on each side of the cut-water, and loosening the forebulkhead. The carpenter and his mates are doing their best to shore it upfrom the inside with balks of timber, but the water is coming in like amill race, and I fear there are other injuries. All the pumps are atwork, but there's a deal of water, and if the bulkhead goes"--

"We shall go, too, " said Lord Holmhurst, calmly. "Well, we must take tothe boats. Is that all?"

"In Heaven's name, is that not enough!" said the captain, looking up, sothat the light that was fixed in the companion threw his ghastly faceinto bold relief. "No, Lord Holmhurst, it is not all. The boats will holdsomething over three hundred people. There are about one thousand soulsaboard the Kangaroo, of whom more than three hundred are women andchildren. "

"Therefore the men must drown, " said Lord Holmhurst, quietly. "God'swill be done!"

"Your Lordship will, of course, take a place in the boats?" said thecaptain, hurriedly. "I have ordered them to be prepared, and, fortunately, day is breaking. I rely upon you to explain matters to theowners if you escape, and clear my character. The boats must make forKerguelen Land. It is about seventy miles to the eastward. "

"You must give your message to someone else, captain, " was the answer; "Ishall stay and share the fate of the other men. "

There was no pomposity about Lord Holmhurst now--all that had gone--andnothing but the simple gallant nature of the English gentleman remained. 

"No, no, " said the captain, as they hurried aft, pushing their waythrough the fear-distracted crowd. "Have you got your revolver?"

"Yes. "

"Well, then, keep it handy; you may have to use it presently: they willtry and rush the boats. "

By this time the grey dawn was slowly breaking, throwing a cold andghastly light upon the hideous scene of terror. Round about the boatswere gathered the officers and some of the crew, doing their best toprepare them for lowering. Indeed, one had already been got away. In itwas Lady Holmhurst, who had been thrown there against her will, shriekingfor her child and husband, and about a score of women and children, together with half-a-dozen sailors and an officer. 

Augusta caught sight of her friend's face in the faint light "Bessie!Bessie! Lady Holmhurst!" she cried, "I have got the boy. It is allright--I have got the boy!"

She heard her, and waved her hand wildly towards her; and then the men inthe boat gave way, and in a second it was out of earshot. Just then atall form seized Augusta by the arm. She looked up: it was Mr. Tombey, and she saw that in his other hand he held a revolver. 

"Thank God!" he shouted in her ear, "I have found you! This way--thisway, quick!" And he dragged her aft to where two sailors, standing bythe davits that supported a small boat, were lowering her to the levelof the bulwarks. 

"Now then, women!" shouted an officer who was in charge of the operation. Some men made a rush. 

"Women first! Women first!"

"I am in no hurry, " said Augusta, stepping forward with the tremblingchild in her arms; and her action for a few seconds produced a calmingeffect, for the men stopped. 

"Come on!" said Mr. Tombey, stooping to lift her over the side, only tobe nearly knocked down by a man who made a desperate effort to get intothe boat. It was Mr. Meeson, and, recognising him, Mr. Tombey dealt him ablow that sent him spinning back. 

"A thousand pounds for a place!" he roared. "Ten thousand pounds for aseat in a boat!" And once more he scrambled up at the bulwarks, tramplingdown a child as he did so, and was once more thrown back. 

Mr. Tombey took Augusta and the child into his strong arms and put herinto the boat. As he did so, he kissed her forehead and murmured, "Godbless you, good-bye!"

At that instant there was a loud report forward, and the stern of thevessel lifted perceptibly. The bulkhead had given way, and there arosesuch a yell as surely was seldom heard before. To Augusta's ears itseemed to shape itself into the word "_Sinking_!"

Up from the bowels of the ship poured the firemen, the appearance ofwhose blackened faces, lined with white streaks of perspiration, added anew impulse of terror to the panic-stricken throng. Aft they came, accompanied by a crowd of sailors and emigrants. 

"Rush the boats, " sung out a voice with a strong Irish accent, "or surewe'll be drowned!"

Taking the hint, the maddened mob burst towards the boats like a flood, blaspheming and shrieking as it came. In a moment the women and childrenwho were waiting to take to the boat, in which Augusta and the twosea-men were already, were swept aside, and a determined effort was madeto rush it, headed by a great Irishman, the same who had called out. 

Augusta saw Mr. Tombey, Lord Holmhurst, who had come up, and the officerlift their pistols, which exploded almost simultaneously, and theIrishman and another man pitched forward on to their hands and knees. 

"Never mind the pistols, lads, " shouted a voice; "as well be shot asdrown. There isn't room for half of us in the boats; come on!" And asecond fearful rush was made, which bore the three gentlemen, firing asthey went, right up against the nettings. 

"Bill, " halloaed the man who was holding on to the foremost tackle, "lower away; we shall be rushed and swamped!"

Bill obeyed with heart and soul, and down sank the boat below the levelof the upper decks, just as the mob was getting the mastery. In fiveseconds more they were hanging close over the water, and whilst they werein this position a man leapt at the boat from the bulwarks. He struck onthe thwarts, rolled off into the water, and was no more seen. A lady, thewife of a Colonial Judge, threw her child; Augusta tried to catch it, butmissed, and the boy sank and was lost. In another moment the two sailorshad shoved off from the ship's side. As they did so, the stern of theKangaroo lifted right out of the water so that they could see under herrudder-post. Just then, too, with a yell of terror, Mr. Meeson, in whomthe elementary principle of self-preservation at all costs was stronglydeveloped, cast himself from the side and fell with a splash within a fewfeet of the boat. Rising to the surface, he clutched hold of the gunwale, and implored to be taken in. 

"Knock the old varmint over the knuckles, Bill, " shouted the other man;"he'll upset us!"

"No; no!" cried Augusta, her woman's heart moved at seeing her old enemyin such a case. "There is plenty of room in the boat. "

"Hold on then, " said the man addressed, whose name was Johnnie; "when weget clear we'll haul you in. "

And, the reader may be sure, Mr. Meeson did hold on pretty tight till, after rowing about fifty yards, the two men halted, and proceeded, notwithout some risk and trouble--for there was a considerable searunning--to hoist Mr. Meeson's large form over the gunwale of the boat. 

Meanwhile, the horrors on board the doomed ship were redoubling, as sheslowly settled to her watery grave. Forward, the steam fog-horn was goingunceasingly, bellowing like a thousand furious bulls; while, now andagain, a rocket still shot up through the misty morning air. Round theboats a hideous war was being waged. Augusta saw a great number of menjump into one of the largest life-boats, which was still hanging to thedavits, having evidently got the better of those who were attempting tofill it with the women and children. The next second they lowered theafter tackle, but, by some hitch or misunderstanding, not the foremostone; with the result that the stern of the boat fell while the bowremained fixed, and every soul in it, some forty or fifty people, wasshot out into the water. Another boat was overturned by a sea as itsettled on the water. Another one, full of women and children, got to thewater all right, but remained fastened to the ship by the bow tackle. When, a couple of minutes afterwards, the Kangaroo went down, nobody hada knife at hand wherewith to cut the rope, and the boat was dragged downwith her, and all its occupants drowned. The remaining boats, with theexception of the one in which Lady Holmhurst was, and which had been gotaway before the rush began, were never lowered at all, or sank as soon aslowered. It was impossible to lower them owing to the mad behaviour ofthe panic-stricken crowds, who fought like wild beasts for a place inthem. A few gentlemen and sober-headed sailors could do nothing against amob of frantic creatures, each bent on saving his own life, if it costthe lives of all else on board. 

And thus it was exactly twenty minutes from the time that the Kangaroosank the whaler (for, although these events have taken some time todescribe, they did not take long to enact) that her own hour came, and, with the exception of some eight-and-twenty souls, all told, the houralso of every living creature who had taken passage in her. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

KERGUELEN LAND. 

As soon as Mr. Meeson, saved from drowning by her intervention, laygasping at the bottom of the boat, Augusta, overcome by a momentaryfaintness, let her head fall forward on to the bundle of blankets inwhich she had wrapped up the child she had rescued, and who, tooterrified to speak or cry, stared about him with wide-opened andfrightened eyes. When she lifted it, a few seconds later, a ray from therising sun had pierced the mist, and striking full on the sinking ship, as, her stern well out of the water and her bow well under it, she rolledsullenly to and fro in the trough of the heavy sea, seemed to wrap herfrom hull to truck in wild and stormy light. 

"She's going!--by George, she's going!" said the seaman Johnnie; and ashe said it the mighty ship slowly reared herself up on end. Slowly--veryslowly, amidst the hideous and despairing shrieks of the doomed wretcheson board of her, she lifted her stern higher and higher, and plunged herbows deeper and deeper. They shrieked, they cried to Heaven for help; butHeaven heeded them not, for man's agony cannot avert man's doom. Now, fora space, she was standing almost upright upon the water, out of whichabout a hundred feet of her vast length towered like some monstrous oceangrowth, whilst men fell from her in showers, like flies benumbed byfrost, down into the churning foam beneath. Then suddenly, with a swiftand awful rush, with a rending sound of breaking spars, a loud explosionof her boilers, and a smothered boom of bursting bulkheads, she plungeddown into the measureless deeps, and was seen no more forever. 

The water closed in over where she had been, boiling and foaming andsucking down all things in the wake of her last journey, while the steamand prisoned air came up in huge hissing jets and bubbles that explodedinto spray on the surface. 

The men groaned, the child stared stupified, and Augusta cried out, "_Oh!oh_!" like one in pain. 

"Row back!" she gasped, "row back and see if we cannot pick someof them up. "

"No! no!" shouted Meeson; "they will sink the boat!"

"'Taint much use anyway, " said Johnnie. "I doubt that precious few ofthem will come up again. They have gone too deep!"

However, they got the boat's head round again--slowly enough, Augustathought--and as they did so they heard a feeble cry or two. But by thetime that they had reached the spot where the Kangaroo went down, therewas no living creature to be seen; nothing but the wash of the greatwaves, over which the mist once more closed thick and heavy as a pall. They shouted, and once they heard a faint answer, and rowed towards it;but when they got to the spot whence the sound seemed to proceed, theycould see nothing except some wreckage. They were all dead, their agonywas done, their cries no more ascended to the pitiless heavens; and wind, and sky, and sea were just as they had been. 

"Oh, my God! my God!" wept Augusta, clinging to the thwarts of thetossing boat. 

"One boat got away--where is it?" asked Mr. Meeson, who, a wet andwretched figure, was huddled up in the stern-sheets, as he rolled hiswild eyes round striving to pierce the curtain of the mist. 

"There's something, " said Johnnie, pointing through a fog-dog in themist, that seemed to grow denser rather than otherwise as the lightincreased, at a round, boat-like object that had suddenly appeared to thestarboard of them. 

They rowed up to it; it was a boat, but empty and floating bottomupwards. Closer examination showed that it was the cutter, which, whenfull of women and children, had been fastened to the vessel and draggeddown with her as she sank. At a certain depth the pressure of the waterhad been too great and had torn the ring in the bow bodily out of her, sothat she returned to the surface. But those in her did not return--atleast, not yet. Once more, two or three days hence, they would arise fromthe watery depths and look upon the skies with eyes that could not see, and then vanish for ever. 

Turning from this awful and most moving sight, they rowed slowly throughquantities of floating wreckage--barrels, hencoops (in one of these theyfound two drowned fowls, which they secured), and many other articles, such as oars and wicker deck-chairs--and began to shout vigorously in thehope of attracting the attention of the survivors in the other boat, which they imagined could not be far off. Their efforts, however, provedfruitless, owing to the thickness of the fog; and in the considerable seawhich was running it was impossible to see more than twenty yards or so. Also, what between the wind, and the wash and turmoil of the water, thesound of their voices did not travel far. The ocean is a large place, anda rowing-boat is easily lost sight of upon its furrowed surface;therefore it is not wonderful that, although the two boats were at themoment within half a mile of each other, they never met, and each tookits separate course in the hope of escaping the fate of the vessel. Theboat in which were Lady Holmhurst and some twenty other passengers, together with the second officer and a crew of six men, after seeing theKangaroo sink and picking up one survivor, shaped a course for KerguelenLand, believing that they, and they alone, remained to tell the tale ofthat awful shipwreck. And here it may be convenient to state that beforenightfall they were picked up by a sealing-whaler, that sailed with themto Albany, on the coast of Australia. Thence an account of the disaster, which, as the reader will remember, created a deep impression, wastelegraphed home, and thence, in due course, the widowed Lady Holmhurstand most of the other women who escaped were taken back to England. 

To return to our heroine and Mr. Meeson. 

The occupants of the little boat sat looking at each other with whitescared faces, till at last the man called Johnnie, who, by-the-way, wasnot a tar of a very amiable cast of countenance, possibly owing to thefact that his nose was knocked almost flat against the side of his face, swore violently, and said "It was no good stopping there all theetceteraed day. " Thereupon Bill, who was a more jovial-looking man, remarked "that he, Johnnie, was etceteraed well right, so they hadbetter hoist the fore-sail. "

At this point Augusta interposed, and told them that the captain, just asthe vessel came into collision, had informed her that he was makingKerguelen Land, which was not more than sixty or seventy miles away. Theyhad a compass in the boat, and they knew the course the Kangaroo wassteering when she sank. Accordingly, without wasting further time, theygot as much sail up as the little boat could carry in the stiff breeze, and ran nearly due east before the steady westerly wind. All day longthey ran across the misty ocean, the little boat behaving splendidly, without sighting any living thing, till, at last, the night closed inagain. There was, fortunately, a bag of biscuits in the boat, and abreaker of water; also there was, unfortunately, a breaker of rum, fromwhich the two sailors, Bill and Johnnie, were already taking quite asmuch as was good for them. Consequently, though they were cold and wetwith the spray, they had not to face the added horrors of starvation andthirst. At sundown, they shortened sail considerably, only leaving enoughcanvas up to keep the boat ahead of the sea. 

Somehow the long night wore away. Augusta scarcely closed her eyes; butlittle Dick slept like a top upon her bosom, sheltered by her arms andthe blanket from the cold and penetrating spray. In the bottom of theboat lay Mr. Meeson, to whom Augusta, pitying his condition--for he wasshivering dreadfully--had given the other blanket, keeping nothing forherself except the woollen shawl. 

At last, however, there came a faint glow in the east, and the daylightbegan to break over the stormy sea. Augusta turned her head and staredthrough the mist. 

"What is that?" she said, in a voice trembling with excitement, to thesailor Bill, who was taking his turn at the tiller; and she pointed to adark mass that loomed up almost over them. 

The man looked, and then looked again; and then hallowed out joyfully, "Land--land ahead!"

Up struggled Mr. Meeson on to his knees--his legs were so stiff that hecould not stand--and began to stare wildly about him. 

"Thank God!" he cried. "Where is it? Is it New Zealand? If ever I getthere, I'll stop there. I'll never get on a ship again!"

"New Zealand!" growled the sailor. "Are you a fool? It's Kerguelen Land, that's what it is--where it rains all day, and nobody lives--not even anigger. It's like enough that you'll stop there, though; for I don'treckon that anybody will come to take you off in a hurry. "

Mr. Meeson collapsed with a groan, and a few minutes afterwards the sunrose, while the mist grew less and less till at last it almostdisappeared, revealing a grand panorama to the occupants of the boat. Forbefore them was line upon line of jagged and lofty peaks, stretching asfar as the eye could reach, gradually melting in the distance into thecold white gleam of snow. Bill slightly altered the boat's course to thesouthward, and, sailing round a point, she came into comparatively calmwater. Then, due north of them, running into the land, they saw the mouthof a great fjord, bounded on each side by towering mountain banks, sosteep as to be almost precipitous, around whose lofty sides thousands ofsea fowl wheeled, awaking the echoes with their clamour. Right into thisbeautiful fjord they sailed, past a line of flat rocks on which sat hugefantastic monsters that the sailors said were sea-lions, along the lineof beetling cliff, till they came to a spot where the shore, on whichgrew a rank, sodden-looking grass, shelved gently up from the water'sedge to the frowning and precipitous background. And here, to their hugedelight, they discovered two huts roughly built of old ship's timbers, placed within a score of yards of each other, and a distance of somefifty paces from the water's edge. 

"Well, there's a house, anyway, " said the flat-nosed Johnnie, "though itdon't look as though it had paid rates and taxes lately. "

"Let us land, and get out of this horrible boat, " said Mr. Meeson, feebly: a proposition that Augusta seconded heartily enough. Accordingly, the sail was lowered, and, getting out the oars, the two sailors rowedthe boat into a little, natural harbour that opened out of the maincreek, and in ten minutes her occupants were once more stretching theirlegs upon dry land; that is, if any land in Kerguelen Island, that regionof perpetual wet, could be said to be dry. 

Their first care was to go up to the huts and examine them, with a resultthat could scarcely be called encouraging. The huts had been built someyears--whether by the expedition which, in 1874, came thither to observethe transit of Venus, or by former parties of shipwrecked mariners, theynever discovered--and were now in a state of ruin. Mosses and lichensgrew plentifully upon the beams, and even on the floor; while great holesin the roof let in the wet, which lay in little slimy puddles beneath. Still, with all their drawbacks, they were decidedly better than the openbeach; a very short experience of which, in that inclement climate, wouldcertainly have killed them; and they thankfully decided to make the bestof them. Accordingly, the smaller of the two huts was given up to Augustaand the boy Dick, while Mr. Meeson and the sailors took possession of thelarge one. Their next task was to move up their scanty belongings (theboat having first been carefully beached), and to clean out the huts andmake them as habitable as possible by stretching the sails of the boat onthe damp floors and covering up the holes in the roof as best they couldwith stones and bits of board from the bottom of the boat. The weatherwas, fortunately, dry, and as they all (with the exception of Mr. Meeson, who seemed to be quite prostrated) worked with a will, not exceptingMaster Dick--who toddled backwards and forwards after Augusta in highglee at finding himself on terra firma--and by midday everything thatcould be done was done. Then they made a fire of some drift-wood--for, fortunately, they had a few matches--and Augusta cooked the two fowlsthey had got out of the floating hen-coop as well as circumstances wouldallow--which, as a matter of fact, was not very well--and they haddinner, of which they all stood sadly in need. 

After dinner they reckoned up their resources. Of water there was anample supply, for not far from the huts a stream ran down into the fjord. For food they had the best part of a bag of biscuits weighing about ahundred pounds. Also there was the cask of rum, which the men had movedinto their own hut. But that was not all, for there were plenty ofshellfish about if they could find means to cook them, while the rocksaround were covered with hundreds of penguins, including specimens of thegreat "King penguin, " which only required to be knocked on the head. There was, therefore, little fear of their perishing of starvation, assometimes happens to ship wrecked people. Indeed, immediately afterdinner, the two sailors went out and returned with as many birds'eggs--mostly penguin--as they could carry in their hats. Scarcely hadthey got in, however, when the rain, which is the prevailingcharacteristic of these latitudes, set in, in the most pitiless fashion;and soon the great mountains with which they were surrounded, and thosebefore them, were wrapped in dense veils of fleecy vapour. Hour afterhour the rain fell without ceasing, penetrating through their miserableroof, and falling--drop, drip, drop--upon the sodden floor. Augusta satby herself in the smaller hut, doing what she could to amuse little Dickby telling him stories. Nobody knows how hard she found it to have toinvent stories when she was thus overwhelmed with misfortune; but it wasthe only way of keeping the poor child from crying, as the sense of coldand misery forced itself into his little heart. So she told him aboutRobinson Crusoe, and then she told him that they were playing at beingRobinson Crusoe, to which the child very sensibly replied that he did notat all like the game, and wanted his mamma. 

And meanwhile it grew darker and colder and damper hour by hour, till atlast the light went out, and left her with nothing to keep her companybut the moaning wind, the falling rain, and the wild cries of thesea-birds when something disturbed them from their rest. The child wasasleep at last, wrapped up in a blanket and one of the smaller sails;and Augusta, feeling quite worn out with solitude and the pressure ofheavy thoughts, began to think that the best thing she could do would beto try to follow his example, when suddenly there came a knock at theboards which served for a door to the shanty. 

"Who is it?" she cried, with a start. 

"Me--Mr. Meeson, " answered a voice. "Can I come in?"

"Yes; if you like, " said Augusta, sharply, though in her heart she wasreally glad to see him, or, rather, to hear him, for it was too dark tosee anything. It is wonderful how, under the pressure of a greatcalamity, we forget our quarrels and our spites, and are ready to jump atthe prospect of the human companionship of our deadliest enemy. And "themoral of that is, " as the White Queen says, that as we are all night andday face to face with the last dread calamity--Death--we shouldthroughout our lives behave as though we saw the present shadow of hishand. But that will never happen in the world while human nature is humannature--and when will it become anything else?

"Put up the door again, " said Augusta, when, from a rather rawer rush ofair than usual, she gathered that her visitor was within the hut. 

Mr. Meeson obeyed, groaning audibly. "Those two brutes are gettingdrunk, " he said, "swallowing down rum by the gallon. I have come becauseI could not stop with them any longer--and I am so ill, Miss Smithers, soill! I believe that I am going to die. Sometimes I feel as though all themarrow in my bones were ice, and--and--at others just as though somebodywere shoving a red-hot wire up them. Can't you do anything for me?"

"I don't see what is to be done, " answered Augusta, gently, for theman's misery touched her in spite of her dislike for him. "You had betterlie down and try to go to sleep. "

"To sleep!" he moaned; "how can I sleep? My blanket is wringing wetand my clothes are damp, " and he fairly broke down and began togroan and sob. 

"Try and go to sleep, " urged Augusta again. 

He made no answer, but by degrees he grew quieter, overwhelmed, perhaps, by the solemn presence of the darkness. Augusta laid her head against thebiscuit-bag, and at last sank into blissful oblivion; for to the young, sleep is a constant friend. Once or twice she woke, but only to drop offagain; and when she finally opened her eyes it was quite light and therain had ceased. 

Her first care was for little Dick, who had slept soundly throughout thenight and appeared to be none the worse. She took him outside the hut andwashed his face and hands in the stream and then sat him down to abreakfast of biscuit. As she returned she met the two sailors, who, although they were now fairly sober, bore upon their faces the marks of afearful debauch. Evidently they had been drinking heavily. She drewherself up and looked at them, and they slunk past her in silence. 

Then she returned to the hut. Mr. Meeson was sitting up when she entered, and the bright light from the open door fell full upon his face. Hisappearance fairly shocked her. The heavy cheeks had fallen in, there weregreat purple rings round his hollow eyes, and his whole aspect was one ofa man in the last stage of illness. 

"I have had such a night" he said, "Oh, Heaven! such a night! I don'tbelieve that I shall live through another. "

"Nonsense!" said Augusta, "eat some biscuit and you will feel better. "

He took a piece of the biscuit which she gave him, and attempted toswallow it, but could not. 

"It is no use, " he said; "I am a dying man. Sitting in those wet clothesin the boat has finished me. "

And Augusta, looking at his face, could not but believe him. 

CHAPTER IX. 

AUGUSTA TO THE RESCUE. 

After breakfast--that is, after Augusta had eaten some biscuit and a wingthat remained from the chickens she had managed to cook upon the previousday--Bill and Johnnie, the two sailors, set to work, at her suggestion, to fix up a long fragment of drift-wood on a point of rock, and to bindit on to a flag that they happened to find in the locker of the boat. There was not much chance of its being seen by anybody in that mist-ladenatmosphere, even if anybody came there to see it, of which there wasstill less chance; still they did it as a sort of duty. By the time thistask was finished it was midday, and, for a wonder, there was littlewind, and the sun shone out brightly. On returning to the huts Augustagot the blankets out to dry, and set the two sailors to roast some of theeggs they had found on the previous day. This they did willingly enough, for they were now quite sober, and very much ashamed of themselves. Then, after giving Dick some more biscuit and four roasted eggs, which hetook to wonderfully, she went to Mr. Meeson, who was lying groaning inthe hut, and persuaded him to come and sit out in the warmth. 

By this time the wretched man's condition was pitiable, for, though hisstrength was still whole in him, he was persuaded that he was going todie, and could touch nothing but some rum-and-water. 

"Miss Smithers, " he said, as he sat shivering upon the rocks, "I am goingto die in this horrible place, and I am not fit to die! To think of me, "he went on with a sudden burst of his old fire, "to think of me dyinglike a starved dog in the cold, when I have two millions of money waitingto be spent there in England! And I would give them all--yes, everyfarthing of them--to find myself safe at home again! By Jove! I wouldchange places with any poor devil of a writer in the Hutches! Yes, Iwould turn author on twenty pounds a month!--that will give you some ideaof my condition, Miss Smithers! To think that I should ever live to saythat I would care to be a beggarly author, who could not make a thousanda year if he wrote till his fingers fell off!--oh! oh!" and he fairlysobbed at the horror and degradation of the thought. 

Augusta looked at the poor wretch and then bethought her of the proudcreature she had known, raging terribly through the obsequious ranks ofclerks, and carrying desolation to the Hutches and the many-headededitorial department. She looked, and was filled with reflections on themutability of human affairs. 

Alas! how changed that Meeson!

"Yes, " he went on, recovering himself a little, "I am going to die inthis horrible place, and all my money will not even give me a decentfuneral. Addison and Roscoe will get it--confound them!--as though theyhad not got enough already. It makes me mad when I think of those Addisongirls spending my money, or bribing Peers to marry them with it, orsomething of that sort. I disinherited my own nephew, Eustace, and kickedhim out to sink or swim; and now I can't undo it, and I would giveanything to alter it! We quarrelled about you, Miss Smithers, because Iwould not give you any more money for that book of yours. I wish I hadgiven it to you--anything you wanted. I didn't treat you well; but, MissSmithers, a bargain is a bargain. It would never have done to give way, on principle. You must understand that, Miss Smithers. Don't revengeyourself on me about it, now that I am helpless, because, you see, it wasa matter of principle. "

"I am not in the habit of revenging myself, Mr. Meeson, " answeredAugusta, with dignity; "but I think that you have done a very wickedthing to disinherit your nephew in that fashion, and I don't wonder thatyou feel uncomfortable about it. "

The expression of this vigorous opinion served to disturb Mr. Meeson'sconscience all the more, and he burst out into laments and regrets. 

"Well, " said Augusta at last, "if you don't like your will you had betteralter it. There are enough of us here to witness a will, and, if anythinghappens to you, it will override the other--will it not?"

This was a new idea, and the dying man jumped at it. 

"Of course, of course, " he said; "I never thought of that before. I willdo it at once, and cut Addison and Roscoe out altogether. Eustace shallhave every farthing. I never thought of that before. Come, give me yourhand; I'll get up and see about it. "

"Stop a minute, " said Augusta. "How are you going to write a will withoutpen or pencil, or paper or ink?"

Mr. Meeson sank back with a groan. This difficulty had not occurred tohim. 

"Are you sure nobody has got a pencil and a bit of paper?" he asked. "Itwould do, so long as the writing remained legible. "

"I don't think so, " said Augusta, "but I will inquire. " Accordingly shewent and asked Bill and Johnnie: but neither of them had a pencil or asingle scrap of paper, and she returned sadly to communicate the news. 

"I have got it, I have got it, " said Mr. Meeson, as she approached thespot where he lay upon the rock. "If there is no paper or pen, we mustwrite it in blood upon some linen. We can make a pen from the feathers ofa bird. I read somewhere in a book of somebody who did that. It will doas well as anything else. "

Here was an idea, indeed, and one that Augusta jumped at. But inanother moment her enthusiasm received a check. Where was there anylinen to write on?

"Yes, " she said, "if you can find some linen. You have got on aflannel shirt, so have the two sailors, and little Dick is dressed inflannel, too. "

It was a fact. As it happened, not one of the party had a scrap of linenon them, or anything that would answer the purpose. Indeed, they had onlyone pocket-handkerchief between them, and it was a red rag full of holes. Augusta had had one, but it had blown overboard when they were in theboat. What would they not have given for that pocket-handkerchief now!

"Yes, " said Mr. Meeson, "it seems we have none. I haven't even get abank-note, or I might have written in blood upon that; though I have gota hundred sovereigns in gold--I grabbed them up before I bolted from thecabin. But I say--excuse me, Miss Smithers, but--um--ah--oh! hangmodesty--haven't you got some linen on, somewhere or other, that youcould spare a bit of? You shan't lose by giving it to me. There, Ipromise that I will tear up the agreement if ever I get out ofthis--which I shan't--which I shan't--and I will write on the linen thatit is to be torn up. Yes, and that you are to have five thousand poundslegacy too, Miss Smithers. Surely you can spare me a little bit--just offthe skirt, or somewhere, you know, Miss Smithers? It never will bemissed, and it is so _very_ important. "

Augusta blushed, and no wonder. "I am sorry to say I have nothing of thesort about me, Mr. Meeson--nothing except flannel, " she said. "I got upin the middle of the night before the collision, and there was no lightin the cabin, and I put on whatever came first, meaning to come back anddress afterwards when it got light. "

"Stays!" said Mr. Meeson, desperately. "Forgive me for mentioning them, but surely you put on your stays? One could write on them, you know. "

"I am very sorry, Mr. Meeson, " she answered, "but I did not put any on. "

"Not a cuff or a collar?" he said, catching at a last straw of hope. 

Augusta shook her head sadly. 

"Then there is an end of it!" groaned Mr. Meeson. "Eustace must lose themoney. Poor lad! poor lad! I have behaved very badly to him. "

Augusta stood still, racking her brain for some expedient, for she wasdetermined that Eustace Meeson should not lose the chance of thatcolossal fortune if she could help it. It was but a poor chance at thebest, for Mr. Meeson might not be dying, after all. And if he did die, itwas probable that his fate would be their fate also, and no record wouldremain of them or of Mr. Meeson's testamentary wishes. As things lookedat present, there was every prospect of their all perishing miserably onthat desolate shore. 

Just then the sailor Bill, who had been up to the flagstaff on the rockon the chance of catching sight of some passing vessel, came walkingpast. His flannel shirt-sleeves were rolled up to the elbows of hisbrawny arms, and as he stopped to speak to Augusta she noticed somethingthat made her start, and gave her an idea. 

"There ain't nothing to be seen, " said the man, roughly; "and it is mybelief that there won't be neither. Here we are, and here we stops tillwe dies and rots. "

"Ah, I hope not, " said Augusta. "By-the-way, Mr. Bill, will you let melook at the tattoo on your arm?"

"Certainly, Miss, " said Bill, with alacrity, holding his great arm withinan inch of her nose. It was covered with various tattoos: flags, ships, and what not, in the middle of which, written in small letters along theside of the forearm, was the sailor's name--Bill Jones. 

"Who did it, Mr. Bill?" asked Augusta. 

"Who did it? Why I did it myself. A chap made me a bet that I could nottattoo my own name on my own arm, so I showed him; and a poor sort ofhand I should have been at tattooing if I could not. "

Augusta said no more till Bill had gone on, then she spoke. 

"Now, Mr. Meeson, do you see how you can make your will?" she saidquietly. 

"See? No. " he answered, "I don't. "

"Well, I do: you can tattoo it--or, rather get the sailor to tattoo it. It need not be very long. "

"Tattoo it! What on, and what with?" he asked, astonished. 

"You can have it tattooed on the back of the other sailor, Johnnie, if hewill allow you; and as for material, you have some revolver cartridges;if the gunpowder is mixed with water, it would do, I should think. "

"'Pon my word, " said Mr. Meeson, "you are a wonderful woman! Whoeverwould have thought of such a thing except a woman? Go and ask the manJohnnie, there's a good girl, if he would mind my will being tattooedupon his back. "

"Well, " said Augusta; "it's a queer sort of message; but I'll try. "Accordingly, taking little Dick by the hand, she went across to where thetwo sailors were sitting outside their hut, and putting on her sweetestsmile, first of all asked Mr. Bill if he would mind doing a littletattooing for her. To this Mr. Bill, finding time hang heavy upon hishands, and wishing to be kept out of the temptation of the rum-cask, graciously assented, saying that he had seen some sharp fish-bones lyingabout which would be the very thing, though he shook his head at the ideaof using gunpowder as the medium. He said it would not do at all well, and then, as though suddenly seized by an inspiration, started off downto the shore. 

Then Augusta, as gently and nicely as she could, approached the questionwith Johnnie, who was sitting with his back against the hut, his batteredcountenance wearing a peculiarly ill-favored expression, probably owingto the fact that he was suffering from severe pain in his head, as aresult of the debauch of the previous night. 

Slowly and with great difficulty, for his understanding was none of theclearest, she explained to him what was required; and that it wassuggested that he should provide the necessary _corpus vile_ upon whichit was proposed that the experiment should be made. When at last heunderstood what it was asked that he should do, Johnnie's countenancewas a sight to see, and his language was more striking than correct. Theupshot of it was, however, that he would see Mr. Meeson collectively, and Mr. Meeson's various members separately, especially his eyes, somewhere first. 

Augusta retreated till his wrath had spent itself, and then once morereturned to the charge. 

She was sure, she said, that Mr. Johnnie would not mind witnessing thedocument, if anybody else could be found to submit to the pain of thetattooing. All that would be necessary would be for him to touch the handof the operator while his (Johnnie's) name was tattooed as witness to thewill. "Well, " he said, "I don't know how as I mind doing that, since it'syou as asked me, Miss, and not the d----d old hulks of a Meeson. I wouldnot lift a finger to save him from 'ell Miss, and that's a fact!"

"Then that is a promise, Mr. Johnnie?" said Augusta, sweetly ignoringthe garnishing with which the promise was adorned; and on Mr. Johnniestating that he looked at it in that light, she returned to Mr. Meeson. On her way she met Bill, carrying in his hands a loathsome-looking fish, with long feelers and a head like a parrot, in short, a cuttle-fish. 

"Now, here's luck, Miss, " said Bill, exultingly; "I saw this gentlemanlying down on the beach there this morning. He's a cuttle, that's what heis; and I'll have his ink-bag out of him in a brace of shakes; just theticket for tattooing, Miss, as good as the best Indian-ink--gunpowder isa fool to it. "

By this time they had reached Mr. Meeson, and here the wholematter, including Johnnie's obstinate refusal to be tattooed wasexplained to Bill. 

"Well, " said Augusta at length, "it seems that's the only thing to bedone; but the question is, how to do it? I can only suggest, Mr. Meeson, that the will should be tattooed on you. "

"Oh!" said Mr. Meeson, feebly, "on me! Me tattooed like asavage--tattooed with my own will!"

"It wouldn't be much use, either, governor, begging your pardon, " saidBill, "that is, if you are agoing to croak, as you say; 'cause wherewould the will be then? We might skin you with a sharp stone, perhaps, after you've done the trick, you know, " he added reflectively. "But thenwe have no salt, so I doubt if you'd keep; and if we set your hide in thesun, I reckon the writing would shrivel up so that all the courts of lawin London could not make head or tail of it. "

Mr. Meeson groaned loudly, as well he might. These frank remarks wouldhave been trying to any man; much more were they so to this opulentmerchant prince, who had always set the highest value on what Bill rudelycalled his "hide. "

"There's the infant, " went on Bill, meditatively. "He's young and white, and I fancy his top-crust would work wonderful easy; but you'd have tohold him, for I expect that he'd yell proper. "

"Yes, " said Mr. Meeson; "let the will be tattooed upon the child. He'd besome use that way. "

"Yes, " said Bill; "and there'd allus be something left to remind me of avery queer time, provided he lives to get out of it, which is doubtful. Cuttle-ink won't rub out, I'll warrant. "

"I won't have Dick touched, " said Augusta, indignantly. "It wouldfrighten the child into fits; and, besides, nobody has a right to markhim for life in that way. "

"Well, then, there's about an end of the question, " said Bill; "and thisgentleman's money must go wherever it is he don't want it to. "

"No, " said Augusta, with a sudden flush, "there is not. Mr. EustaceMeeson was once very kind to me, and rather than he should lose thechance of getting what he ought to have, I--I will be tattooed. "

"Well, bust me!" said Bill, with enthusiasm, "bust me! if you ain't agood-plucked one for a female woman; and if I was that there young man Ishould make bold to tell you so. "

"Yes, " said Mr. Meeson, "that is an excellent idea. You are young andstrong, and as there is lots of food here, I dare say that you will takea long time to die. You might even live for some months. Let us begin atonce. I feel dreadfully weak. I don't think that I can live through thenight, and if I know that I have done all I can to make sure that Eustacegets his own, perhaps dying will be a little easier!"

CHAPTER X. 

THE LAST OF MR. MEESON. 

Augusta turned from the old man with a gesture of impatience not unmixedwith disgust. His selfishness was of an order that revolted her. 

"I suppose, " she said sharply to Bill, "that I must have this willtattooed upon my shoulders. "

"Yes, Miss; that's it, " said Bill. "You see, Miss, one wants space for adoccymint. If it were a ship or a flag, now, or a fancy pictur of youryoung man, I might manage it on your arm, but there must be breadth for alegal doccymint, more especially as I should like to make a good job ofit while I is about it. I don't want none of them laryers a-turning uptheir noses at Bill Jones' tattooing. "

"Very well, " said Augusta, with an inward sinking of the heart; "I willgo and get ready. "

Accordingly she adjourned into the hut and removed the body of her dressand turned down the flannel garment underneath it in such a fashion as toleave as much of her neck bare as is to be seen when a lady has on amoderately low dress. Then she came out again, dressed, or ratherundressed, for the sacrifice. Meanwhile, Bill had drawn out the ink-bagof the cuttle, had prepared a little round fragment of wood which hesharpened like a pencil by rubbing it against a stone, and had put a keenedge on to a long white fishbone that he had selected. 

"Now, Mr. Bill, I am ready, " said Augusta, seating herself resolutelyupon a flat stone and setting her teeth. 

"My word, Miss; but you have a fine pair of shoulders!" said the sailor, contemplating the white expanse with the eye of an artist. "I never hadsuch a bit of material to work on afore. Hang me if it ain't almost apity to mark 'em! Not but what high-class tattooing is an ornimint toanybody, from a Princess down; and in that you are fortunit, Miss, for Ilarnt tattooing from them as _can_ tattoo, I did. "

Augusta bit her lip, and the tears came into her eyes. She was only awoman, and had a woman's little weakness; and, though she had neverappeared in a low dress in her life, she knew that her neck was one ofher greatest beauties, and was proud of it. It was hard to think that shewould be marked all her life with this ridiculous will--that is, if sheescaped--and, what was more, for the benefit of a young man who had noclaim upon her at all. 

That was what she said to herself; but as she said it, something in hertold her that it was not true. Something told her that this young Mr. Eustace Meeson _had_ a claim upon her--the highest claim that a man couldhave upon a woman, for the truth must out--she loved him. It seemed tohave come home to her quite clearly here in this dreadful desolate place, here in the very shadow of an awful death, that she did love him, trulyand deeply. And that being so, she would not have been what she was--agentle-natured, devoted woman--had she not at heart rejoiced at thisopportunity of self-sacrifice, even though that self-sacrifice was of thehardest sort, seeing that it involved what all women hate--the enduranceof a ridiculous position. For love can do all things: it can even makeits votaries brave ridicule. 

"Go on, " she said sharply, "and let us get it over as soon as possible. "

"Very well, Miss. What is it to be, old gentleman? Cut it short, youknow. "

"'_I leave all my property to Eustace H. Meeson_, ' that's as short as Ican get it; and, if properly witnessed, I think that it will covereverything, " said Mr. Meeson, with a feeble air of triumph. "Anyhow, Inever heard of a will that is to carry about two millions being got intonine words before. "

Bill poised his fishbone, and, next second, Augusta gave a start and alittle shriek, for the operation had begun. 

"Never mind, Miss, " said Bill, consolingly; "you'll soon get used to it. "

After that Augusta set her teeth and endured in silence, though it reallyhurt her very much, for Bill was more careful of the artistic effect andthe permanence of the work than of the feelings of the subject. _Fiatexperimentum in corpore vili_, he would have said had he been conversantwith the Classics, without much consideration for the _corpus vile_. Sohe pricked and dug away with his fishbone, which he dipped continually inthe cuttle-ink, and with the sharp piece of wood, till Augusta began tofeel perfectly faint. 

For three hours the work continued, and at the end of that time the bodyof the will was finished--for Bill was a rapid worker--being written inmedium-sized letters right across her shoulders. But the signatures yetremained to be affixed. 

Bill asked her if she would like to let them stand over till themorrow?--but this, although she felt ill with the pain she declined todo. She was marked now, marked with the ineffaceable mark of Bill, so shemight as well be marked to some purpose. If she put off the signing ofthe document till the morrow, it might be too late, Mr. Meeson might bedead, Johnnie might have changed his mind, or a hundred things. So shetold them to go on and finish it as quickly as possible, for there wasonly about two hours more daylight. 

Fortunately Mr. Meeson was more or less acquainted with the formalitiesthat are necessary in the execution of a will, namely: that the testatorand the two witnesses should all sign in the presence of each other. Healso knew that it was sufficient, if, in cases of illness, some thirdperson held the pen between the testator's fingers and assisted him towrite his name, or even if someone signed for the testator in hispresence and by his direction; and, arguing from this knowledge, he cameto the conclusion--afterwards justified in the great case of Meeson v. Addison and Another--that it would be sufficient if he inflicted thefirst prick of his signature, and then kept his hand upon Bill's whilethe rest was done. This accordingly, he did, clumsily running the pointof the sharp bone so deep into the unfortunate Augusta that she fairlyshrieked aloud, and then keeping his hand upon the sailor's arm while heworked in the rest of the signature, "_J. Meeson_. " When it was done, the turn of Johnnie came. Johnnie had at length aroused himself to someinterest in what was going on, and had stood by watching all the time, since Mr. Meeson having laid his finger upon Augusta's shoulder, hadsolemnly declared the writing thereon to be his last will and testament. As he (Johnnie) could not tattoo, the same process was gone through withreference to his signature, as in the case of Mr. Meeson. Then Bill Jonessigned his own name, as the second witness to the will; and just as thelight went out of the sky the document was finally executed--the date ofthe execution being alone omitted. Augusta got up off the flat stonewhere she had been seated during this torture for something like fivehours, and staggering into the hut, threw herself down upon the sail, andwent off into a dead faint. It was indeed only by a very strong exerciseof the will that she had kept herself from fainting long before. 

The next thing she was conscious of was a dreadful smarting in her back, and on opening her eyes found that it was quite dark in the hut. Soweary was she, however, that after stretching out her hand to assureherself that Dick was safe by her side, she shut her eyes again and wentfast asleep. When she woke, the daylight was creeping into the damp andsqualid hut, revealing the heavy form of Mr. Meeson tossing to and froin a troubled slumber on the further side. She got up, feelingdreadfully sore about the back; and, awaking the child, took him out tothe stream of water and washed him and herself as well as she could. Itwas very cold outside; so cold that the child cried, and the rain cloudswere coming up fast, so she hurried back to the hut, and, together withDick, made her breakfast off some biscuit and some roast penguin'seggs, which were not at all bad eating. She was indeed, quite weak withhunger, having swallowed no food for many hours, and feltproportionately better after it. 

Then she turned to examine the condition of Mr. Meeson. The will had beenexecuted none too soon, for it was evident to her that he was in a verybad way indeed. His face was sunken and hectic with fever, his teeth werechattering, and his talk, though he was now awake, was quite incoherent. She tried to get him to take some food; but he would swallow nothing butwater. Having done all that she could for him, she went out to see thesailors, and met them coming down from the flagstaff. They had evidentlybeen, though not to any great extent, at the rum cask again, for Billlooked sheepish and shaky, while the ill-favored Johnnie was more sulkythan ever. She gazed at them reproachfully, and then asked them tocollect some more penguin's eggs, which Johnnie refused point-blank todo, saying that he wasn't going to collect eggs for landlubbers to eat;she might collect eggs for herself. Bill, however, started on the errand, and in about an hour's time returned, just as the rain set in in goodearnest, bearing six or seven dozen fresh eggs tied up in his coat. 

Augusta, with the child by her, sat in the miserable hut attending to Mr. Meeson; while outside the pitiless rain poured down in a steady unceasingsheet of water that came through the wretched roof in streams. She didher best to keep the dying man dry, but it proved to be almost animpossibility; for even when she succeeded in preventing the wet fromfalling on him from above, it got underneath him from the reeking floor, while the heavy damp of the air gathered on his garments till they werequite sodden. 

As the hours went on his consciousness came back to him, and with it histerror for the end and his remorse for his past life, for alas! themillions he had amassed could not avail him now. 

"I am going to die!" he groaned. "I am going to die, and I've been a badman: I've been the head of a publishing company all my life!"

Augusta gently pointed out to him that publishing was a very respectablebusiness when fairly and properly carried on, and not one that ought toweigh heavy upon a man at the last like the record of a career ofsuccessful usury or burgling. 

He shook his heavy head. "Yes, yes, " he groaned; "but Meeson's is acompany and you are talking of private firms. They are straight, most ofthem; far too straight, I used always to say. But you don't knowMeeson's--you don't know the customs of the trade at Meeson's. "

Augusta reflected that she knew a good deal more about Meeson's thanshe liked. 

"Listen, " he said, with desperate energy, sitting up upon the sail, "andI will tell you--I must tell you. "

Asterisks, so dear to the heart of the lady novelist, will best representthe confession that followed; words are not equal to the task. 

 * * * * *

Augusta listened with rising hair, and realised how very trying must bethe life of a private confessor. 

"Oh, please stop!" she said faintly, at last. "I can't bear it--Ican't, indeed. "

"Ah!" he said, as he sunk back exhausted. "I thought that when youunderstood the customs at Meeson's you would feel for me in my presentposition. Think, girl, think what I must suffer, with such a past, standing face to face with an unknown future!"

Then came a silence. 

"Take him away! Take him away!" suddenly shouted out Mr. Meeson, staringaround him with frightened eyes. 

"Who?" asked Augusta; "who?"

"Him--the tall, thin man, with the big book! I know him; he used to beNumber 25--he died years ago. He was a very clever doctor; but one of hispatients brought a false charge against him and ruined him, so he had totake to writing, poor devil! We made him edit a medicalencyclopaedia--twelve volumes for £300, to be paid on completion; and hewent mad and died at the eleventh volume. So, of course, we did not payhis widow anything. And now he's come for me--I know he has. Listen! he'stalking! Don't you hear him? Oh, Heavens! He says that I am going to bean author, and he is going to publish for me for a thousand years--goingto publish on the quarter-profit system, with an annual account, theusual trade deductions, and no vouchers. Oh! oh! Look!--they are allcoming!--they are pouring out of the Hutches! they are going to murderme!--keep them off! keep them off!" and he howled and beat the air withhis hands. 

Augusta, utterly overcome by this awful sight, knelt down by his side andtried to quiet him, but in vain. He continued beating his hands in theair, trying to keep off the ghostly train, till, at last, with one awfulhowl, he fell back dead. 

And that was the end of Meeson. And the works that he published, and themoney that he made, and the house that he built, and the evil that hedid--are they not written in the Book of the Commercial Kings?

"Well, " said Augusta faintly to herself when she had got her breath backa little, "I am glad that it is over; anyway, I do hope that I may neverbe called on to nurse the head of another publishing company. "

"Auntie! auntie!" gasped Dick, "why do the gentleman shout so?"

Then, taking the frightened child by the hand, Augusta made her waythrough the rain to the other hut, in order to tell the two sailors whathad come to pass. It had no door, and she paused on the threshold toprospect. The faint foggy light was so dim that at first she could seenothing. Presently, however, her eyes got accustomed to it, and she madeout Bill and Johnnie sitting opposite to each other on the ground. Between them was the breaker of rum. Bill had a large shell in his had, which he had just filled from the cask; for Augusta saw him in the act ofreplacing the spigot. 

"My go!--curse you, my go!" said Johnnie, as Bill lifted the shell ofspirits to his lips. "You've had seven goes and I've only had six!"

"You be blowed!" said Bill, swallowing the liquor in a couple of greatgulps. "Ah! that's better! Now I'll fill for you, mate: fair does, Isays, fair does and no favour, " and he filled accordingly. 

"Mr. Meeson is dead, " said Augusta, screwing up her courage to interruptthis orgie. 

The two men stared at her in drunken surprise, which Johnnie broke. 

"Now is he, Miss?" he said, with a hiccough: "is he? Well, a good jobtoo, says I; a useless old landlubber he was. I doubt he's off to awarmer place than this 'ere Kerguelen Land, and I drinks his health, which, by-the-way, I never had the occasion to do before. Here's tothe health of the departed, " and he swallowed the shellfull of rum ata draught. 

"Your sentiment I echoes, " said Bill. "Johnnie, the shell; give us theshell to drink the 'ealth of the dear departed. "

Then Augusta returned to her hut with a heavy heart. She covered up thedead body as best she could, telling little Dick that Mr. Meeson was goneby-by, and then sat down in that chill and awful company. It was verydepressing; but she comforted herself somewhat with the reflection that, on the whole, Mr. Meeson dead was not so bad as Mr. Meeson in theanimated flesh. 

Presently the night set in once more, and, worn out with all that she hadgone through, Augusta said her prayers and went to sleep with little Dicklocked fast in her arms. 

Some hours afterwards she was awakened by loud and uproarious shouts, made up of snatches of drunken songs and that peculiar class of Englishthat hovers ever round the lips of the British Tar. Evidently Bill andJohnnie were raging drunk, and in this condition were taking themidnight air. 

The shouting and swearing went reeling away towards the water's edge, and then, all of a sudden, they culminated in a fearful yell--after whichcame silence. 

What could it mean? wondered Augusta and whilst she was still wonderingdropped off to sleep again. 

CHAPTER XI. 

RESCUED. 

Augusta woke up just as the dawn was stealing across the sodden sky. Itwas the smarting of her shoulders that woke her. She rose, leaving Dickyet asleep, and, remembering the turmoil of the night, hurried to theother hut. It was empty. 

She turned and looked about her. About fifteen paces from where she waslay the shell that the two drunkards had used as a cup. Going forward, she picked it up. It still smelt disgustingly of spirits. Evidently thetwo men had dropped it in the course of their midnight walk, or ratherroll. Where had they gone to?

Straight in front of her a rocky promontory ran out fifty paces or moreinto the waters of the fjord-like bay. She walked along it aimlessly tillpresently she perceived one of the sailor's hats lying on the ground, or, rather, floating in a pool of water. Clearly they had gone this way. Onshe went to the point of the little headland, sheer over the water. Therewas nothing to be seen, not a single vestige of Bill and Johnnie. Aimlessly enough she leant forward and stared over the rocky wall, anddown into the clear water, and then started back with a little cry. 

No wonder that she started, for there on the sand, beneath a fathom and ahalf of quiet water, lay the bodies of the two ill-fated men. They werelocked in each other's arms, and lay as though they were asleep upon thatocean bed. How they came to their end she never knew. Perhaps theyquarrelled in their drunken anger and fell over the little cliff; orperhaps they stumbled and fell not knowing whither they were going. Whocan say? At any rate, there they were, and there they remained, till theoutgoing tide floated them off to join the great army of their companionswho had gone down with the Kangaroo. And so Augusta was left alone. 

With a heavy heart she returned to the hut, pressed down by the weight ofsolitude, and the sense that in the midst of so much death she could nothope to escape. There was no human creature left alive in that vastlonely land, except the child and herself, and so far as she could seetheir fate would soon be as the fate of the others. When she got back tothe hut, Dick was awake and was crying for her. 

The still, stiff form of Mr. Meeson, stretched out beneath the sail, frightened the little lad, he did not know why. Augusta took him into herarms and kissed him passionately. She loved the child for his own sake;and, besides, he, and he alone, stood between her and utter solitude. Then she took him across to the other hut, which had been vacated by thesailors, for it was impossible to stay in the one with the body, whichwas too heavy for her to move. In the centre of the sailors' hut stoodthe cask of rum which had been the cause of their destruction. It wasnearly empty now--so light, indeed, that she had no difficulty in rollingit to one side. She cleaned out the place as well as she could, andreturning to where Mr. Meeson's body lay, fetched the bag of biscuits andthe roasted eggs, after which they had their breakfast. 

Fortunately there was but little rain that morning, so Augusta took Dickout to look for eggs, not because they wanted any more, but in order toemploy themselves. Together they climbed up on to a rocky headland, wherethe flag was flying, and looked out across the troubled ocean. There wasnothing in sight so far as the eye could see--nothing but the whitewave-horses across which the black cormorants steered their swift, unerring flight. She looked and looked till her heart sank within her. 

"Will Mummy soon come in a boat to take Dick away?" asked the child ather side, and then she burst into tears. 

When she had recovered herself they set to collecting eggs, an occupationwhich, notwithstanding the screams and threatened attacks of the birds, delighted Dick greatly. Soon they had as many as she could carry; so theywent back to the hut and lit a fire of drift-wood, and roasted some eggsin the hot ashes; she had no pot to boil them in. Thus, one way andanother the day wore away, and at last the darkness began to fall overthe rugged peaks behind and the wild wilderness of sea before. She putDick to bed and he went off to sleep. Indeed, it was wonderful to see howwell the child bore the hardships through which they were passing. Henever had an ache or a pain, or even a cold in the head. 

After Dick was asleep Augusta sat, or rather lay, in the dark listeningto the moaning of the wind as it beat upon the shanty and passed away ingusts among the cliffs and mountains beyond. The loneliness was somethingawful, and together with the thought of what the end of it would probablybe, quite broke her spirit down. She knew that the chances of her escapewere small indeed. Ships did not often come to this dreadful anduninhabited coast, and if one should happen to put in there, it wasexceedingly probable that it would touch at some other point and neversee her or her flag. And then in time the end would come. The supply ofeggs would fail, and she would be driven to supporting life upon suchbirds as she could catch, till at last the child sickened and died, andshe followed it to that dim land that lies beyond Kerguelen and theworld. She prayed that the child might die first. It was awful to thinkthat perhaps it might be the other way about: she might die first, andthe child might be left to starve beside her. The morrow would beChristmas Day. Last Christmas Day she had spent with her dead sister atBirmingham. She remembered that they went to church in the morning, andafter dinner she had finished correcting the last revises of "Jemima'sVow. " Well, it seemed likely that long before another Christmas came shewould have gone to join little Jeannie. And then, being a good andreligious girl, Augusta rose to her knees and prayed to Heaven with allher heart and soul to rescue them from their terrible position, or, ifshe was doomed to perish, at least to save the child. 

And so the long cold night wore away in thought and vigil, till at last, some two hours before the dawn, she got to sleep. When she opened hereyes again it was broad daylight, and little Dick, who had been awakesome time beside her, was sitting up playing with the shell which Billand Johnnie had used to drink rum out of. She rose and put the child'sthings a little to rights, and then, as it was not raining, told him torun outside while she went through the form of dressing by taking offsuch garments as she had, shaking them, and putting them on again. Shewas slowly going through this process, and wondering how long it wouldbe before her shoulders ceased to smart from the effects of thetattooing, when Dick came running in without going through the formalityof knocking. 

"Oh, Auntie! Auntie!" he sang out in high glee, "here's a big ship comingsailing along. Is it Mummy and Daddie coming to fetch Dick?"

Augusta sank back faint with the sudden revulsion of feeling. If therewas a ship, they were saved--snatched from the very jaws of death. Butperhaps it was the child's fancy. She threw on the body of her dress;and, her long yellow hair--which she had in default of better means beentrying to comb out with a bit of wood--streaming behind her, she took thechild by the hand, and flew as fast as she could go down the little rockypromontory off which Bill and Johnnie had met their end. Before she gothalf-way down it, she saw that the child's tale was true--for there, sailing right up the fjord from the open sea, was a large vessel. She wasnot two hundred yards from where she stood, and her canvas was beingrapidly furled preparatory to the anchor being dropped. 

Thanking Providence for the sight as she never thanked anything before, Augusta sped on till she got to the extreme point of the promontory, andstood there waving Dick's little cap towards the vessel, which movedslowly and majestically on, till presently, across the clear water, camethe splash of the anchor, followed by the sound of the fierce rattle ofthe chain through the hawse-pipes. Then there came another sound--theglad sound of human voices cheering. She had been seen. 

Five minutes passed, and then she saw a boat lowered and manned. The oarswere got out, and presently it was backing water within ten paces of her. 

"Go round there, " she called, pointing to the little bay, "and I willmeet you. "

By the time that she had got to the spot the boat was already beached, and a tall, thin, kindly-faced man was addressing her in an unmistakableYankee accent, "Cast away, Miss?" he said interrogatively. 

"Yes, " gasped Augusta; "we are the survivors of the Kangaroo, which sankin a collision with a whaler about a week ago. "

"Ah!" said the captain, "with a whaler? Then I guess that's where myconsort has gone to. She's been missing about a week, and I put in hereto see if I could get upon her tracks--also to fill up with water. Well, she was well insured, anyway, and when last we spoke her, she had made avery poor catch. But perhaps, Miss, you will, at your convenience, favourme with a few particulars?"

Accordingly, Augusta sketched the history of their terrible adventure inas few words as possible; and the tale was one that made even thephlegmatic Yankee captain stare. Then she took him, followed by the crew, to the hut where Meeson lay dead, and to the other hut, where she andDick had slept upon the previous night. 

"Wall, Miss, " said the captain, whose name was Thomas, "I guess that youand the youngster will be almost ready to vacate these apartments; so, ifyou please, I will send you off to the ship, the Harpoon--that's hername--of Norfolk, in the United States. You will find her well flavouredwith oil, for we are about full to the hatches; but, perhaps, under thecircumstances, you will not mind that. Anyway, my Missus, who isaboard--having come the cruise for her health--and who is an Englishwomanlike you, will do all she can to make you comfortable. And I tell youwhat it is, Miss; if I was in any way pious, I should just thank theAlmighty that I happened to see that there bit of a flag with my spyglassas I was sailing along the coast at sun-up this morning, for I had nointention of putting in at this creek, but at one twenty miles along. Andnow, Miss, if you'll go aboard, some of us will stop and just tuck up thedead gentleman as well as we can. "

Augusta thanked him from her heart, and, going into the hut, got her hatand the roll of sovereigns which had been Mr. Meeson's, but which he hadtold her to take, leaving the blankets to be brought by the men. 

Then two of the sailors got into the little boat belonging to theKangaroo, in which Augusta had escaped, and rowed her and Dick away fromthat hateful shore to where the whaler--a fore-and-aft-schooner--waslying at anchor. As they drew near, she saw the rest of the crew of theHarpoon, among whom was a woman, watching their advent from the deck, who, when she got her foot upon the companion ladder, one and all set upa hearty cheer. In another moment she was on deck--which, notwithstanding its abominable smell of oil, seemed to her the fairestand most delightful place that her eyes had ever rested on--and beingalmost hugged by Mrs. Thomas, a pleasant-looking woman of about thirty, the daughter of a Suffolk farmer who had emigrated to the States. Andthen, of course, she had to tell her story all over again; after whichshe was led off to the cabin occupied by the captain and his wife (andwhich thenceforth was occupied by Augusta, Mrs. Thomas, and littleDick), the captain shaking down where he could. And here, for the firsttime for nearly a week, she was able to wash and dress herself properly. And oh, the luxury of it! Nobody knows what the delights of clean linenreally mean till he or she has had to dispense with it undercircumstances of privation; nor have they the slightest idea of what adifference to one's well-being and comfort is made by the possession ornon-possession of an article so common as a comb. Whilst Augusta wasstill combing out her hair with sighs of delight, Mrs. Thomas knocked atthe door and was admitted. 

"My! Miss; what beautiful hair you have, now that it is combed out!" shesaid in admiration; "why, whatever is that upon your shoulders?"

Then Augusta had to tell the tale of the tattooing, which by-the-way, itstruck her, it was wise to do so, seeing that she thus secured a witnessto the fact, that she was already tattooed on leaving Kerguelen Land, and that the operation had been of such recent infliction that the fleshwas still inflamed with it. This was the more necessary as the tattooingwas undated. 

Mrs. Thomas listened to the story with her mouth open, lost betweenadmiration of Augusta's courage, and regret that her shoulders shouldhave been ruined in that fashion. 

"Well, the least that he" (alluding to Eustace) "can do is to marry youafter you have spoilt yourself in that fashion for his benefit, " said thepractical Mrs. Thomas. 

"Nonsense! Mrs. Thomas, " said Augusta, blushing till the tattoo marks onher shoulders looked like blue lines in a sea of crimson, and stampingher foot with such energy that her hostess jumped. 

There was no reason why she should give an innocent remark such awarm reception; but then, as the reader will no doubt have observed, the reluctance that some young women show to talking of thepossibility of their marriage to the man they happen to have settheir hearts on, is only equalled by the alacrity with which theymarry him when the time comes. 

Having set Dick and Augusta down to a breakfast of porridge and coffee, which both of them thought delicious, though the fare was really rathercoarse, Mrs. Thomas, being unable to restrain her curiosity, rowed off tothe land to see the huts and also Mr. Meeson's remains, which, though nota pleasant sight, were undoubtedly an interesting one. With her, too, went most of the crew, bent upon the same errand, and also on obtainingwater, of which the Harpoon was short. 

As soon as she was left alone, Augusta went back to the cabin, takingDick with her, and laid down on the berth with a feeling of safety andthankfulness to which she had long been a stranger, where very soon shefell sound asleep. 

CHAPTER XII. 

SOUTHAMPTON QUAY. 

When Augusta opened her eyes again she became conscious of a violentrolling motion that she could not mistake. They were at sea. 

She got up, smoothed her hair, and went on deck, to find that she hadslept for many hours, for the sun was setting. She went aft to where Mrs. Thomas was sitting near the wheel with little Dick beside her, and aftergreeting them, turned to watch the sunset. The sight was a beautiful oneenough, for the great waves, driven by the westerly wind, which in theselatitudes is nearly always blowing half a gale, were rushing past themwild and free, and the sharp spray of their foaming crests struck uponher forehead like a whip. The sun was setting, and the arrows of thedying light flew fast and far across the billowy bosom of the deep. Fastand far they flew from the stormy glory in the west, lighting up the palesurfaces of cloud, and tinging the grey waters of that majestic sea witha lurid hue of blood. They kissed the bellying sails, and seemed to restupon the vessel's lofty trucks, and then travelled on and away, and away, through the great empyrean of space till they broke and vanished upon thehorizon's rounded edge. There behind them--miles behind--Kerguelen Landreared its fierce cliffs against the twilight sky. Clear and desolatethey towered in an unutterable solitude, and on their snowy surfaces thesunbeams beat coldly as the warm breath of some human passion beating onAphrodite's marble breast. 

Augusta gazed upon those drear cliffs that had so nearly proved hermonumental pile and shuddered. It was as a hideous dream. 

And then the dark and creeping shadows of the night threw their veilsaround and over them, and they vanished. They were swallowed up inblackness, and she lost sight of them and of the great seas that foreverbeat and churn about their stony feet; nor except in dreams, did sheagain set her eyes upon their measureless solitude. 

The Night arose in strength and shook a golden dew of stars from thetresses of her streaming clouds, till the wonderful deep heavens sparkledwith a myriad gemmy points. The west wind going on his way sung his wildchant amongst the cordage, and rushed among the sails as with a rush ofwings. The ship leant over like a maiden shrinking from a kiss, then, shivering, fled away, leaping from billow to billow as they rose andtossed their white arms about her, fain to drag her down and hold her toocean's heaving breast. 

The rigging tautened, and the huge sails flapped in thunder as theHarpoon sped upon her course, and all around was greatness and thepresent majesty of power. Augusta looked aloft and sighed, she knew notwhy. The swift blood of youth coursed through her veins, and she rejoicedexceedingly that life and all its possibilities yet lay before her. But alittle more of that dreadful place and they would have lain behind. Herdays would have been numbered before she scarce had time to strike a blowin the great human struggle that rages ceaselessly from age to age. Thevoice of her genius would have been hushed just as its notes began tothrill, and her message would never have been spoken in the world. Butnow Time was once more before her, and oh! the nearness of Death hadtaught her the unspeakable value of that one asset on which we canrely--Life. Not, indeed, that life for which so many live--the life ledfor self, and having for its principle, if not its only end, thegratification of the desires of self; but an altogether higher life--alife devoted to telling that which her keen instinct knew was truth, and, however imperfectly, painting with the pigment of her noble art thosevisions of beauty which sometimes seemed to rest upon her soul likeshadows from the heaven of our hones. 

 * * * * *

Three months have passed--three long months of tossing waters andever-present winds. The Harpoon, shaping her course for Norfolk, in theUnited States, had made but a poor passage of it. She got into thesouth-east trades, and all went well till they made St. Paul's Rocks, where they were detained by the doldrums and variable winds. Afterwardsshe passed into the north-east trades, and then, further north, met aseries of westerly gales, that ultimately drove her to the Azores, justas her crew were getting very short of water and provisions. And hereAugusta bid farewell to her friend the Yankee skipper; for the whalerthat had saved her life and Dick's, after refitting once more, set sailupon its almost endless voyage. She stood on the breakwater at PontaDelgada, and watched the Harpoon drop past. The men recognized her andcheered lustily, and Captain Thomas took off his hat; for the entireship's company, down to the cabin-boy, were head-over-heels in love withAugusta; and the extraordinary offerings that they had made her onparting, most of them connected in some way or other with that nobleanimal the whale, sufficed to fill a good-sized packing-case. Augustawaved her handkerchief to them in answer; but she could not see much ofthem, because her eyes were full of tears. She had had quite enough ofthe Harpoon, and yet she was loth so say farewell to her; for her days onboard had in many respects been restful and happy ones; they had givenher space and time to brace herself up before she plunged once more intothe struggle of active life. Besides, she had throughout been treatedwith that unvarying kindness and consideration for which the Americanpeople are justly noted in their dealings with all persons in misfortune. 

But Augusta was not the only person who with sorrow watched the departureof the Harpoon. First, there was little Dick, who had acquired a fineYankee drawl, and grown quite half an inch on board of her, and whofairly howled when his particular friend, a remarkably fierce andgrisly-looking boatswain, brought him as a parting offering a largewhale's tooth, patiently carved by himself with a spirited picture oftheir rescue on Kerguelen Land. Then there was Mrs. Thomas herself. Whenthey finally reached the island of St. Michael, in the Azores, Augustahad offered to pay fifty pounds, being half of the hundred sovereignsgiven to her by Mr. Meeson, to Captain Thomas as a passage fee, knowingthat he was by no moans overburdened with the goods of this world. But hestoutly declined to touch a farthing, saying that it would be unlucky totake money from a castaway. Augusta as stoutly insisted; and, finally, acompromise was come to. Mrs. Thomas was anxious, being seized with thatacute species of home-sickness from which Suffolk people are no moreexempt than other folk, to visit the land where she was born and thepeople midst whom she was bred up. But this she could not well afford todo. Therefore, Augusta's proffered fifty pounds was appropriated to thispurpose, and Mrs. Thomas stopped with Augusta at Ponta Delgada, waitingfor the London and West India Line Packet to take them to Southampton. 

So it came to pass that they stood together on the Ponta Delgadabreakwater and together saw the Harpoon sail off towards the setting sun. 

Then came a soft dreamy fortnight in the fair island of St. Michael, where nature is ever as a bride, and never reaches the stage of thehard-worked, toil-worn mother, lank and lean with the burden ofmaternity. The mental act of looking back to this time, in after years, always recalled to Augusta's senses the odor of orange-blossoms, and thesight of the rich pomegranate-bloom blushing the roses down. It was apleasant time, for the English Consul there most hospitably entertainedthem--with much more personal enthusiasm, indeed, than he generallyconsidered it necessary to show towards shipwrecked voyagers--a class ofpeople of whom consular representatives abroad must get rather tiredwith their eternal misfortunes and their perennial want of clothes. Indeed, the only drawback to her enjoyment was that the Consul, agallant official, with red hair, equally charmed by her adventures, herliterary fame, and her person, showed a decided disposition to fall inlove with her, and a red-haired and therefore ardent Consular officeris, under those circumstances, a somewhat alarming personage. But thetime went on without anything serious happening; and, at last, onemorning after breakfast, a man came running up with the information thatthe mail was in sight. 

And so Augusta took an affectionate farewell of the golden-haired Consul, who gazed at her through his eyeglass, and sighed when he thought of whatmight have been in the sweet by-and-by; and the ship's bell rang, and thescrew began to turn, leaving the Consul still sighing on the horizon; andin due course Augusta and Mrs. Thomas found themselves standing on thequay at Southampton, the centre of an admiring and enthusiastic crowd. 

The captain had told the extraordinary tale to the port officials whenthey boarded the vessel, and on getting ashore the port officials hadmade haste to tell every living soul they met the wonderful news that twosurvivors of the ill-fated Kangaroo--the history of whose tragic end hadsent a thrill of horror through the English-speaking world--were safe andsound on board the West India boat. Thus, by the time that Augusta, Mrs. Thomas, and Dick were safe on shore, their story, or rather sundrydistorted versions of it, was flashing up the wires to the various pressagencies, and running through Southampton like wild-fire. Scarcely weretheir feet set upon the quay, when, with a rush and a bound, wild men, with note-books in their hands, sprang upon them, and beat them down witha rain of questions. Augusta found it impossible to answer them all atonce, so contented herself with saying, "Yes, " "Yes, " "Yes, " toeverything, out of which mono-syllable, she afterwards found to hersurprise, these fierce and active pressmen contrived to make up asufficiently moving tale; which included glowing accounts of the horrorsof the shipwreck, and, what rather took her aback, a positive statementthat she and the sailors had lived for a fortnight upon the broiledremains of Mr. Meeson. One interviewer, being a small man, and, therefore, unable to kick and fight his way through the ring whichsurrounded Augusta and Mrs. Thomas, seized upon little Dick, andcommenced to chirp and snap his fingers at him in the intervals of askinghim such questions as he thought suitable to his years. 

Dick, dreadfully alarmed, fled with a howl; but this did not prevent acolumn and a half of matter, headed "The Infant's Tale of Woe, " fromappearing that very day in a journal noted for the accuracy andunsensational character of its communications. Nor was the army ofinterviewers the only terror that they had to face. Little girls gavethem bouquets; an old lady, whose brain was permeated with the idea thatshipwrecked people went about in a condition of undress for much longerthan was necessary after the event, arrived with an armful ofunder-clothing streaming on the breeze; and last, but not least, a tallgentleman, with a beautiful moustache, thrust into Augusta's hand a notehastily written in pencil, which, when opened, proved to be an _offer ofmarriage_!

However, at last they found themselves in a first-class carriage, readyto start, or rather starting. The interviewing gentlemen, two of whomhad their heads jammed through the window, were forcibly drawnaway--still asking questions, by the officials--the tall gentleman withthe moustache, who was hovering in the background, smiled a softfarewell, in which modesty struggled visibly with hope, thestation-master took off his cap, and in another minute they were rollingout of Southampton Station. 

Augusta sank back with a sigh of relief, and then burst out laughing atthe thought of the gentleman with the fair moustachios. On the seatopposite to her somebody had thoughtfully placed a number of the day'spapers. She took up the first that came to hand and glanced at it idlywith the idea of trying to pick up the thread of events. Her eyes fellinstantly upon the name of Mr. Gladstone printed all over the sheet intype of varying size, and she sighed. Life on the ocean wave had beenperilous and disagreeable enough, but at any rate she had been free fromMr. Gladstone and his doings. Whatever evil might be said of him, he was_not_ an old man of the sea. Turning the paper over impatiently she cameupon the reports of the Probate Divorce and Admiralty Division of theHigh Court. The first report ran thus:--

 * * * * *

BEFORE THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE PRESIDENT. 

IN THE MATTER OF MEESON, DECEASED. 

This was an application arising out of the loss of R. M. S. Kangaroo, onthe eighteenth of December last. It will be remembered that out of abouta thousand souls on board that vessel the occupants of one boatonly--twenty-five people in all--were saved. Among the drowned was Mr. Meeson, the head of the well-known Birmingham publishing company ofMeeson, Addison, and Roscoe, and Co. (Limited), who was at the time on avisit to New Zealand and Australia in connection with the business ofthe company. 

Mr. Fiddlestick, Q. C. , who with Mr. Pearl appeared for the applicants(and who was somewhat imperfectly heard), stated that the facts connectedwith the sinking of the Kangaroo would probably still be so fresh in hisLordship's mind that it would not be necessary for him to detail them, although he had them upon affidavit before him. His Lordship wouldremember that but one boat-load of people had survived from this, perhapsthe most terrible, shipwreck of the generation. Among the drowned wasMr. Meeson; and this application was on behalf of the executors of hiswill for leave to presume his death. The property which passed under thewill was very large indeed; amounting in all, Mr. Fiddlestick understood, to about two millions sterling, which, perhaps, might incline hisLordship to proceed very carefully in allowing probate to issue. 

The President: Well--the amount of the property has got nothing to dowith the principles on which the Court acts with regard to thepresumption of death, Mr. Fiddlestick. 

Quite so, my Lord, and I think that in this case your Lordship will besatisfied that there is no reason why probate should not issue. It is, humanly speaking, impossible that Mr. Meeson can have escaped the generaldestruction. 

The President: Have you any affidavit from anybody who saw Mr. Meeson inthe water?

No, my Lord; I have an affidavit from a sailor named Okers, the only manwho was picked up in the water after the Kangaroo foundered, which statesthat he believes that he saw Mr. Meeson spring from the ship into thewater, but the affidavit does not carry the matter further. He cannotswear that it was Mr. Meeson. 

The President: Well, I think that that will do. The Court is necessarilyadverse to allowing the presumption of death, except on evidence of themost satisfactory nature. Still, considering that nearly four months havenow passed since the foundering of the Kangaroo under circumstances whichmake it exceedingly improbable that there were any other survivors, Ithink that it may fairly presume that Mr. Meeson shared the fate of theother passengers. 

Mr. Fiddlestick: The death to be presumed from the 18th of December. 

The President: Yes, from the eighteenth. 

Mr. Fiddlestick: If your Lordship pleases. 

 * * * * *

Augusta put down the paper with a gasp. There was she, safe and sound, with the true last will of Mr. Meeson tattooed upon her; and "probate hadissued"--whatever that mysterious formula might mean--to another will, not the real last will. It meant (as she in her ignorance supposed) thather will was no good, that she had endured that abominable tattooing tono purpose, and was, to no purpose, scarred for life. 

It was too much; and, in a fit of vexation, she flung the _Times_ out ofthe window, and cast herself back on the cushion, feeling very muchinclined to cry. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

EUSTACE BUYS A PAPER. 

In due course the train that bore Augusta and her fortunes, timed toreach Waterloo at 5. 40 p. M. , rolled into the station. The train was afast one, but the telegraph had been faster. All the evening papers hadcome out with accounts, more or less accurate, of their escape, and mostof them had added that the two survivors would reach Waterloo by the 5. 40train. The consequence was, that when the train drew up at the platform, Augusta, on looking out, was horrified to see a dense mass of humanbeings being kept in check by a line of policemen. 

However, the guard was holding the door open, so there was nothing for itbut to get out, which she did, taking Dick by the hand, a proceeding thatnecessarily put her identity beyond a doubt. The moment she got her footon to the platform, the crowd saw her, and there arose such a tremendousshout of welcome that she very nearly took refuge again in the carriage. For a moment she stood hesitating, and the crowd, seeing how sweet andbeautiful she was (for the three months of sea air had made her stouterand even more lovely), cheered again with that peculiar enthusiasm whicha discerning public always shows for a pretty face. But even while shestood bewildered on the platform she heard a loud "Make way--make waythere!" and saw the multitude being divided by a little knot ofofficials, who were escorting somebody dressed in widow's weeds. 

In another second there was a cry of joy, and a sweet, pale faced littlelady had run at the child Dick, and was hugging him against her heart, and sobbing and laughing both at once. 

"Oh! my boy! my boy!" cried Lady Holmhurst, for it was she, "I thoughtyou were dead--long ago dead!"

And then she turned, and, before all the people there, clung aboutAugusta's neck and kissed her and blessed her, because she had saved heronly child, and half removed the deadweight of her desolation. Whereatthe crowd cheered, and wept, and yelled, and swore with excitement, andblessed their stars that they were there to see. 

And then, in a haze of noise and excitement, they were led through thecheering mob to where a carriage and pair were standing, and were helpedinto it, Mrs. Thomas being placed on the front seat, and Lady Holmhurstand Augusta on the back, the former with the gasping Dick upon her knee. 

And now little Dick is out of the story. 

Then another event occurred, which we must go back a little to explain. 

When Eustace Meeson had come to town, after being formally disinherited, he had managed to get a billet as Latin, French, and Old English readerin a publishing house of repute. As it happened, on this very afternoonhe was strolling down the Strand, having finished a rather stiff day'swork, and with a mind filled with those idle and somewhat confused oddsand ends of speculation with which most brain workers will be acquainted. He looked older and paler than when we last met him, for sorrow andmisfortune had laid their heavy hands upon him. When Augusta haddeparted, he had discovered that he was head over heels in love with herin that unfortunate way--for ninety-nine times out of a hundred, it isunfortunate--in which many men of susceptibility do occasionally fall inlove in their youth--a way that brands the heart for life in a fashionthat can no more be effaced than the stamp of a hot iron can be effacedfrom the physical body. Such an affection--which is not altogether of theearth--will, when it overcomes a man, prove either the greatest blessingof his life or one of the heaviest, most enduring curses that a malignantfate can heap upon his head. For if he achieves his desire, even thoughhe serve his seven years, surely for him life will be robbed of half itsevil. But if he lose her, either through misfortune or because he gaveall this to one who did not understand the gift, or one who looked atlove and on herself as a currency wherewith to buy her place and theluxury of days, then he will be of all men among the most miserable. Fornothing can give him back that which has gone from him. 

Eustace had never seen Augusta but twice in his life; but then passiondoes not necessarily depend upon constant previous intercourse with itsobject. Love at first sight is common enough, and in this instanceEustace was not altogether dependent upon the spoken words of hisadored, or on his recollection of her very palpable beauty. For he hadher books. To those who know something of the writer--sufficient, let ussay, to enable him to put an approximate value on his or her sentiments, so as to form a more or less accurate guess as to when, he is speakingfrom his own mind, when he is speaking from the mind of the puppet inhand, and when he is merely putting a case--a person's books are full ofinformation, and bring that person into a closer and more intimatecontact with the reader than any amount of personal intercourse. Forwhatever is best and whatever is worst in an individual will be reflectedin his pages, seeing that, unless he is the poorest of hack authors, hemust of necessity set down therein the images that pass across themirrors of his heart. 

Thus it seemed to Eustace, who knew "Jemima's Vow" and also herprevious abortive work almost by heart, that he was very intimatelyacquainted with Augusta, and as he was walking home that May evening, he was reflecting sadly enough of all that he had lost through thatcruel shipwreck. He had lost Augusta, and, what was more, he had losthis uncle and his uncle's vast fortune. For he, too, had seen thereport of the application re Meeson in the _Times_, and, though he knewthat he was disinherited, it was a little crushing. He had lost thefortune for Augusta's sake, and now he had lost Augusta also; and hereflected, not without dismay, on the long dreary existence thatstretched away before him, filled up as it were with prospective pilesof Latin proofs. With a sigh he halted at the Wellington-streetcrossing in the Strand, which, owing to the constant stream of trafficat this point, is one of the worst in London. There was a block at themoment, as there generally is, and he stood for some minutes watchingthe frantic dashes of an old woman, who always tried to cross it at thewrong time, not without some amusement. Presently, however, a boy witha bundle of unfolded _Globes_ under his arm came rushing along, makingthe place hideous with his howls. 

"Wonderful escape of a lady and han infant!" he roared. "Account of thesurvivors of the Kangaroo--wonderful escape--desert island--arrival ofthe Magnolia with the criminals. "

Eustace jumped, and instantly bought a copy of the paper, stepping intothe doorway of a shop where they sold masonic jewels of every size andhue, in order to read it. The very first thing that his eye fell on wasan editorial paragraph. 

"In another column, " ran the paragraph, "will be found a short account, telegraphed to us from Southampton just as we are going to press, of themost remarkable tale of the sea that we are acquainted with. The escapeof Miss Augusta Smithers and of the little Lord Holmhurst--as we supposethat we must now call him--from the ill-fated Kangaroo, and theirsubsequent rescue, on Kerguelen Land, by the American whaler, willcertainly take rank as the most romantic incident of its kind in therecent annals of shipwreck. Miss Smithers, who will be better known tothe public as the authoress of that charming book 'Jemima's Vow, ' whichtook the town by storm about a year ago, will arrive at Waterloo Stationby the 5. 40 train, and we shall then--"

Eustace read no more. Sick and faint with an extraordinary revulsion offeeling, he leant against the door of the masonic shop, which promptlyopened in the most hospitable manner, depositing him upon his back on thefloor of the establishment. In a second he was up, and had bounded out ofthe shop with such energy that the shopman was on the point of holloaing"Stop thief!" It was exactly five o'clock, and he was not more than aquarter of a mile or so from Waterloo Station. A hansom was saunteringalong in front of him, he sprang into it. "Waterloo, main line, " heshouted, "as hard as you can go, " and in another moment he was rollingacross the bridge. Five or six minutes' drive brought him to the station, to which an enormous number of people were hurrying, collected togetherpartly by a rumour of what was going on, and partly by that magneticcontagion of excitement which runs through a London mob like fire throughdry grass. 

He dismissed the hansom, throwing the driver half-a-crown, which, considering that half-crowns were none too plentiful with him, was a rashthing to do, and vigorously shouldered his way through the crush till hereached the spot where the carriage and pair were standing. The carriagewas just beginning to move on. 

"Stop!" he shouted at the top of his voice to the coachman, who pulled upagain. In another moment he was alongside, and there, sweeter and morebeautiful than in ever, he once more saw his love. 

She started at his voice, which she seemed to know, and their eyesmet. Their eyes met and a great light of happiness shot into her sweetface and shone there till it was covered up and lost in the warm blushthat followed. 

He tried to speak, but could not. Twice he tried, and twice he failed, and meanwhile the mob shouted like anything. At last, however, he got itout--"Thank God!" he stammered, "thank God you are safe!"

For answer, she stretched out her hand and gave him one sweet look. Hetook it, and once more the carriage began to move on. 

"Where are you to be found?" he had the presence of mind to ask. 

"At Lady Holmhurst's. Come to-morrow morning; I have something to tellyou, " she answered, and in another minute the carriage was gone, leavinghim standing there in a condition of mind which really "can be betterimagined than described. "

CHAPTER XIV. 

AT HANOVER-SQUARE. 

Eustace could never quite remember how he got through the evening of thateventful day. Everything connected with it seemed hazy to him. As, however, fortunately for the reader of this history, we are notaltogether dependent on the memory of a young man in love, which isalways a treacherous thing to deal with, having other and exclusivesources of information, we may as well fill the gap. First of all he wentto his club and seized a "Red-book, " in which he discovered that LordHolmhurst's, or, rather, Lady Holmhurst's, London house was inHanover-square. Then he walked to his rooms in one of the littleside-streets opening out of the Strand, and went through the form ofeating some dinner; after which a terrible fit of restlessness gotpossession of him, and he started out walking. For three solid hours didthat young man walk, which was, no doubt, a good thing for him, for onenever gets enough exercise in London; and at the end of that time, havingalready been to Hammersmith and back, he found himself gravitatingtowards Hanover-square. Once there, he had little difficulty in findingthe number. There was a light in the drawing-room floor, and, the nightbeing warm, one of the windows was open, so that the lamp-light shonesoftly through the lace curtains. Eustace crossed over to the other sideof the street, and, leaning against the iron railings of the square, looked up. He was rewarded for his pains, for, through the filmy curtain, he could make out the forms of two ladies, seated side by side upon anottoman, with their faces towards the window, and in one of these he hadno difficulty in recognising Augusta. Her head was leaning on her hand, and she was talking earnestly to her companion. He wondered what she wastalking of, and had half a mind to go and ring, and ask to see her. Whyshould he wait till to-morrow morning? Presently, however, bettercounsels prevailed, and, though sorely against his will, he stopped wherehe was till a policeman, thinking his rapt gaze suspicious, grufflyrequested him to move on. 

To gaze at one's only love through an open window is, no doubt, adelightful occupation, if a somewhat tantalising one; but if Eustace'sears had been as good as his eyes, and he could have heard theconversation that was proceeding in the drawing-room, he would have beenstill more interested. 

Augusta had just been unfolding that part of her story which dealt withthe important document tattooed upon her shoulders, to which LadyHolmhurst had listened "ore rotundo. "

"And so the young man is coming here to-morrow morning, " said LadyHolmhurst; "how delightful! I am sure he looked a very nice young man, and he had very fine eyes. It is the most romantic thing that I everheard of. "

"It may be delightful for you, Bessie, " said Augusta, rather tartly, "butI call it disgusting. It is all very well to be tattooed upon a desertisland--not that that was very nice, I can tell you; but it is quiteanother thing to have to show the results in a London drawing-room. Ofcourse, Mr. Meeson will want to see this will, whatever it may be worth;and I should like to ask you, Bessie, how I am to show it to him? It ison my neck. "

"I have not observed, " said Lady Holmhurst, drily, "that ladies, as arule, have an insuperable objection to showing their necks. If you haveany doubt on the point, I recommend you to get an invitation to a Londonball. All you will have to do will be to wear a low dress. The fact ofbeing tattooed does not make it any more improper for you to show yourshoulders, than it would be if they were not tattooed. "

"I have never worn a low dress, " said Augusta, "and I do not want to showmy shoulders. "

"Ah, well, " said Lady Holmhurst, darkly; "I daresay that that feelingwill soon wear off. But, of course, if you won't, you won't; and, underthose circumstances, you had better say nothing about the will--though, "she added learnedly, "of course that would be compounding a felony. "

"Would it? I don't quite see where the felony comes in. "

"Well, of course, it is this way: you steal the will--that's felony; andif you don't show it to him, I suppose you compound it; it is a doubleoffence--compound felony. "

"Nonsense!" answered Augusta to this exposition of the law, which was, itwill be admitted, almost as lucid and convincing as that of an averageQ. C. "How can I steal my own shoulders? It is impossible. "

"Oh, no; not at all. You don't know what funny things you can do. I oncehad a cousin whom I coached for his examination for the Bar, and I learnta great deal about it then. Poor fellow! he was plucked eight times. "

"I am sure I don't wonder at it, " said Augusta, rudely. "Well, I supposeI must put on this low dress; but it is horrid--perfectly horrid! Youwill have to lend me one, that is all. "

"My dear, " answered Lady Holmhurst, with a glance at her widow's weeds. "I have no low dresses: though, perhaps, I can find some among the thingsI put away before we sailed, " and her eyes filled with tears. 

Augusta took her hand, and they began to talk of that great bereavementand of their own wonderful survival, till at last she led theconversation round to little Dick, and Bessie Holmhurst smiled again atthe thought that her darling boy, her only child, was safe asleep upstairs, and not, as she had believed, washing to and fro at the bottom ofthe ocean. She took Augusta's hand and kissed it, and blessed her forhaving saved her child, till suddenly, somewhat to the relief of thelatter, the butler opened the door and said that two gentlemen wantedvery particularly to speak to Miss Smithers. And then she was once morehanded over to her old enemies, the interviewers; and after them came therepresentatives of the company, and then more special reporters, and thenan artist from one of the illustrated papers, who insisted upon hergiving him an appointment in language that, though polite, indicated thathe meant to have his way; and so on till nearly midnight, when she rushedoff to bed and locked her door. 

Next morning Augusta appeared at breakfast dressed in an exceedinglybecoming low dress, which Lady Holmhurst sent up to her with her hotwater. She had never worn one before, and it certainly is trying to puton a low dress for the first time in full daylight--indeed, she felt asguilty as does a person of temperate habits when he is persuaded to drinka brandy and soda before getting up. However, there was no help for it;so, throwing a shawl over her shoulders, she descended. 

"My dear, do let me see, " said Lady Holmhurst, as soon as the servant hadleft the room. 

With a sigh Augusta uncovered her shoulders, and her friend ran round thetable to look at them. There, on her neck, was the will. The cuttle inkhad proved an excellent medium, and the tattooing was as fresh as the dayon which it had been done, and would, no doubt, remain so till the lasthour of her life. 

"Well, " said Lady Holmhurst, "I hope the young man will be duly grateful. I should have to be very much in love, " and she looked meaningly atAugusta, "before I would spoil myself in that fashion for any man. "

Augusta blushed at the insinuation, and said nothing. At ten o'clock, just as they were half through breakfast, there came a ring at the bell. 

"Here he is, " said Lady Holmhurst, clapping her hands. "Well, if thisisn't the very funniest thing that I ever heard of! I told Jones to showhim in here. "

Hardly were the words out of her mouth when the butler, who looked assolemn as a mute in his deep mourning, opened the door and announced "Mr. Eustace Meeson, " in those deep and commanding tones which flunkeys, andflunkeys alone, have at their command. There was a moment's pause. Augusta half rose from her chair, and then sat down again; and, noticingher embarrassment, Lady Holmhurst smiled maliciously. Then came inEustace himself, looking rather handsome, exceedingly nervous, andbeautifully got up--in a frock-coat, with a flower in it. 

"Oh! how do you do?" he said to Augusta, holding out his hand, which shetook rather coldly. 

"How do you do, Mr. Meeson, " she answered. "Let me introduce you to LadyHolmhurst. Mr. Meeson, Lady Holmhurst. " Eustace bowed, and put his hatdown on the butter-dish, for he was very much overcome. 

"I hope that I have not come too early, " he said in great confusion, ashe perceived his mistake. "I thought that you would have done breakfast. "

"Oh, not at all Mr. Meeson, " said Lady Holmhurst. "Won't you have a cupof tea? Augusta, give Mr. Meeson a cup of tea. "

He took the tea, which he did not want in the least, and then there camean awkward silence. Nobody seemed to know how to begin the conversation. 

"How did you find the house, Mr. Meeson?" said Lady Holmhurst, at last. "Miss Smithers gave you no address, and there are two LadyHolmhursts--my mother-in-law and myself. "

"Oh, I looked it out, and then I walked here last night and saw you bothsitting at the window. "

"Indeed!" said Lady Holmhurst. "And why did you not come in? You mighthave helped to protect Miss Smithers from the reporters. "

"I don't know, " he answered confusedly. "I did not like to; and, besides, a policeman thought I was a suspicious character and told me to move on. "

"Dear me, Mr. Meeson; you must have been having a good look at us. "

Here Augusta interposed, fearing least her admirer--for with an unerringinstinct, she now guessed how matters stood--should say somethingfoolish. A young man who is capable of standing to stare at a house inHanover-square is, she thought, evidently capable of anything. 

"I was surprised to see you yesterday, " she said. "How did you know wewere coming?"

Eustace told her that he had seen it in the _Globe_. "I am sure youcannot have been so surprised as I was, " he went on, "I had made surethat you were drowned. I went up to Birmingham to call on you after youhad gone, and found that you had vanished and left no address. Themaid-servant declared that you had sailed in a ship called the 'CongerEel'--which I afterwards found out was Kangaroo. And then she went down;and after a long time they published a full list of the passengers andyour name was not among them, and I thought that after all you might havegot off the ship or something. Then, some days afterwards, came atelegram from Albany, in Australia, giving the names of Lady Holmhurstand the others who were saved, and specially mentioning 'MissSmithers--the novelist' and Lord Holmhurst as being among the drowned, and that is how the dreadful suspense came to an end. It was awful, I cantell you. "

Both of the young women looked at Eustace's face and saw that there wasno mistaking the real nature of the trial through which he had passed. Soreal was it, that it never seemed to occur to him that there was anythingunusual in his expressing such intense interest in the affairs of a younglady with whom he was outwardly, at any rate, on the terms of merestacquaintance. 

"It was very kind of you to think so much about me, " said Augusta, gently. "I had no idea that you would call again, or I would have leftword where I was going. "

"Well, thank God you are safe and sound, at any rate, " answered Eustace;and then, with a sudden burst of anxiety, "you are not going back to NewZealand just yet, are you?"

"I don't know. I am rather sick of the sea just now. "

"No, indeed, she is not, " said Lady Holmhurst; "she is going to stop withme and Dick. Miss Smithers saved Dick's life, you know, when the nurse, poor thing, had run away. And now, dear, you had better tell Mr. Meesonabout the will. "

"The will. What will?" asked Eustace. 

"Listen, and you will hear. "

And Eustace did listen with open eyes and ears while Augusta, gettingover her shyness as best she might, told the whole story of hisuncle's death, and of the way in which he had communicated histestamentary wishes. 

"And do you mean to tell me, " said Eustace, astounded, "that you allowedhim to have his confounded will tattooed upon your neck?"

"Yes, " answered Augusta, "I did; and what is more, Mr. Meeson, I thinkthat you ought to be very much obliged to me; for I daresay that I shalloften be sorry for it. "

"I am _very_ much obliged, " answered Eustace; "I had no right to expectsuch a thing, and, in short, I do not know what to say. I should neverhave thought that any woman was capable of such a sacrifice for--for acomparative stranger. "

Then came another awkward pause. 

"Well, Mr. Meeson, " said Augusta, at last rising brusquely from herchair, "the document belongs to you, and so I suppose that you had bettersee it. Not that I think that it will be of much use to you, however, asI see that 'probate had been allowed to issue, ' whatever that may mean, of Mr. Meeson's other will. "

"I do not know that that will matter, " said Eustace, "as I heard a friendof mine, Mr. Short, who is a barrister, talk about some case the otherday in which probate was revoked on the production of a subsequent will. "

"Indeed!" answered Augusta, "I am very glad to hear that. Then, perhaps, after all I have been tattooed to some purpose. Well; I suppose you hadbetter see it, " and with a gesture that was half shy and half defiant shedrew the lace shawl from her shoulders, and turned her back towards himso that he might see what was inscribed across it. 

Eustace stared at the broad line of letters which with the signatureswritten underneath might mean a matter of two millions of money to him. 

"Thank you, " he said at last, and, taking up the lace shawl, he threw itover her again. 

"If you will excuse me for a few minutes, Mr. Meeson, " interrupted LadyHolmhurst at this point; "I have to go to see about the dinner, " andbefore Augusta could interfere she had left the room. 

Eustace closed the door behind her, and turned, feeling instinctivelythat a great crisis in his fortunes had come. There are some men who riseto an emergency and some who shrink from it, and the difference is, thatdifference between him who succeeds and him who fails in life, and in allthat makes life worth living. 

Eustace belonged to the class that rises and not to that which shrinks. 

CHAPTER XV. 

EUSTACE CONSULTS A LAWYER. 

Augusta was leaning against the marble mantelpiece--indeed, one of herarms was resting upon it, for she was a tall woman. Perhaps she, too, felt that there was something in the air; at any rate, she turned awayher head, and began to play with a bronze Japanese lobster which adornedthe mantelpiece. 

"Now for it, " said Eustace to himself, drawing a long breath, to try andsteady the violent pulsations of his heart. 

"I don't know what to say to you Miss Smithers, " he began. 

"Best say nothing more about it, " she put in quickly. "I did it, and I amglad that I did it. What do a few marks matter if a great wrong isprevented thereby? I am not ever likely to have to go to court. Besides, Mr. Meeson, there is another thing; it was through me that you lost yourinheritance; it is only right that I should try to be the means ofbringing it back to you. "

She dropped her head again, and once more began to play with the bronzelobster, holding her arm in such a fashion that Eustace could not see herface. But if he could not see her face she could see his in the glass, and narrowly observed its every change, which, on the whole, thoughnatural, was rather mean of her. 

Poor Eustace grew pale and paler yet, till his handsome countenancebecame positively ghastly. It is wonderful how frightened young men arethe first time that they propose. It wears off afterwards--with practiceone gets accustomed to anything. 

"Miss Smithers--Augusta, " he gasped, "I want to say something to you!"and he stopped dead. 

"Yes, Mr. Meeson, " she answered cheerfully, "what is it?"

"I want to tell you"--and again he hesitated. 

"What you are going to do about the will?" suggested Augusta. 

"No--no; nothing about the will--please don't laugh at me and put meoff!"

She looked up innocently--as much as to say that she never dreamed ofdoing either of these things. She had a lovely face, and the glance ofthe grey eyes quite broke down the barrier of his fears. 

"Oh, Augusta, Augusta, " he said, "don't you understand? I love you! Ilove you! No woman was ever loved before as I love you. I fell in lovewith you the very first time I saw you in the office at Meeson's, whenI had the row with my uncle about you; and ever since then I have gotdeeper and deeper in love with you. When I thought that you weredrowned it nearly broke my heart, and often and often I wished that Iwere dead, too!"

It was Augusta's turn to be disturbed now, for, though a lady's composurewill stand her in good stead up to the very verge of an affair of thissort, it generally breaks down _in medias res_. Anyhow, she certainlydropped her eyes and colored to her hair, while her breast began to heavetumultuously. 

"Do you know, Mr. Meeson, " she said at last, without daring to look athis imploring face, "that this is only the fourth time that we have seeneach other, including yesterday. "

"Yes, I know, " he said; "but don't refuse me on that, account; you cansee me as often as you like"--(this was generous of Master Eustace)--"andreally I know you better than you think. I should think that I have readeach of your books twenty times. "

This was a happy stroke, for, however free from vanity a person may be, it is not in the nature of a young woman to hear that somebody has readher book twenty times without being pleased. 

"I am not my books, " said Augusta. 

"No; but your books are part of you, " he answered, "and I have learntmore about your real self through them than I should have done if I hadseen you a hundred times instead of four. "

Augusta slowly raised her grey eyes till they met his own, and looked athim as though she were searching out his soul, and the memory of thatlong, sweet look is with him yet. 

He said no more, nor had she any words; but somehow nearer and nearerthey drew one to the other, till his arms were around her, and his lipswere pressed upon her lips. Happy man and happy girl! they will live tofind that life has joys (for those who are good and are well off) butthat it has no joys so holy and so complete as that which they were nowexperiencing--the first kiss of true and honest love. 

A little while afterwards the butler came in in a horribly sudden manner, and found Augusta and Eustace, the one very red and the other very pale, standing suspiciously close to each other. But he was a very well-trainedbutler and a man of experience, who had seen much and guessed more; andhe looked innocent as a babe unborn. 

Just then, too, Lady Holmhurst came in again and looked at the pair ofthem with an amusing twinkle in her eye. Lady Holmhurst, like her butler, was also a person of experience. 

"Won't you come into the drawing room?" she said. And they did, lookingrather sheepish. 

And there Eustace made a clean breast of it, announcing that they wereengaged to be married. And although this was somewhat of an assumption, seeing that no actual words of troth had passed between them, Augustastood there, never offering a word in contradiction. 

"Well, Mr. Meeson, " said Lady Holmhurst, "I think that you are theluckiest man of my acquaintance, for Augusta is not only one of thesweetest and loveliest girls that I have ever met, she is also thebravest and the cleverest. You will have to look out, Mr. Meeson, or youwill be known as the husband of the great Augusta Meeson. "

"I will take the risk, " he answered humbly. "I know that Augusta has morebrains in her little finger than I have in my whole body. I don't knowhow she can look at a fellow like me. "

"Dear me, how humble we are!" said Lady Holmhurst. "Well, that is the wayof men before marriage. And now, as Augusta carries both your fortunes onher back as well as in her face and brain, I venture to suggest that youhad better go and see a lawyer about the matter; that is, if you havequite finished your little talk. I suppose that you will come and dinewith us, Mr. Meeson, and if you like to come a little early, sayhalf-past six, I daresay that Augusta will arrange to be in, to hear whatyou have found out about this will, you know. And now--an revoir. "

"I think that that is a very nice young man, my dear, " said LadyHolmhurst as soon as Eustace had bowed himself out. "It was ratheraudacious of him to propose to you the fourth time that he set eyes uponyou; but I think that audacity is, on the whole, a good quality in themale sex. Another thing is, that if that will is worth anything he willbe one of the wealthiest men in the whole of England; so, taking italtogether, I think I may congratulate you, my dear. And now I supposethat you have been in love with this young man all along. I guessed asmuch when I saw your face as he ran up to the carriage yesterday, and Iwas sure of it when I heard about the tattooing. No girl would allowherself to be tattooed in the interest of abstract justice. Oh, yes! Iknow all about it; and now I am going out walking in the park with Dick, and I should advise you to compose yourself, for that artist is coming todraw you at twelve. "

And she departed and left Augusta to her reflections, which were--well, not unpleasant ones. 

Meanwhile Eustace was marching towards the Temple. As it happened, in thesame lodging-house where he had been living for the last few months, twobrothers of the name of Short had rooms, and with these young gentlemenhe had become very friendly. The two Shorts were twins, and so like oneanother that it was more than a month before Eustace could be sure whichof them he was speaking to. When they were both at college their fatherdied, leaving his property equally between them; and as this property onrealisation was not found to amount to more than four hundred a year, thetwins very rightly concluded that they had better do something tosupplement their moderate income. Accordingly, by a stroke of genius theydetermined that one of them should become a solicitor and the other abarrister, and then tossed up as to which should take to which trade. Theidea, of course, was that in this manner they would be able to affordeach other mutual comfort and support. John would give James briefs, andJames' reflected glory would shine back on John. In short, they wereanxious to establish a legal dong firm of the most approved pattern. 

Accordingly, they passed their respective examinations, and John tookrooms with another budding solicitor in the City, while James hiredchambers in Pump-court. But there the matter stopped, for as John did notget any work, of course he could not give any to James. And so it came topass that for the past three years neither of the twins had found the lawas profitable as they anticipated. In vain did John sit and sigh in theCity. Clients were few and far between: scarcely enough to pay his rent. And in vain did James, artistically robed, wander like the Evil One, fromcourt to court, seeking what he might devour. Occasionally he had thepleasure of taking a note for another barrister who was called away, which means doing another man's work for nothing. Once, too, a man withwhom he had a nodding acquaintance, rushed up to him, and, thrusting abrief into his hands, asked him to hold it for him, telling him that itwould be on in a short time, and that there was nothing in it--"nothingat all. " Scarcely had poor James struggled through the brief when thecase was called on, and it may suffice to say that at its conclusion, theJudge gazed at him mildly, over his spectacles, and "could not helpwondering that any learned counsel had been found who would consent towaste the time of the Court in such a case as the one to which he hadbeen listening. " Clearly James' friend would not so consent, and hadpassed on the responsibility, minus the fee. On another occasion, Jameswas in the Probate Court on motion day, and a solicitor--a real livesolicitor--came up to him and asked him to make a motion (markedMr. ----, 2 gns. ) for leave to dispense with a co-respondent. This motionhe made, and the co-respondent was dispensed with in the approvedfashion; but when he turned round the solicitor had vanished, and henever saw him more or the two guineas either. However, the brief, hisonly one, remained, and, after that, he took to hovering about theDivorce Court, partly in the hope of once more seeing that solicitor, andpartly with a vague idea of drifting into practice in the Division. 

Now, Eustace had often, when in the Shorts' sitting-room in thelodging-house in the Strand heard the barrister James hold forthlearnedly on the matter of wills, and, therefore, he naturally enoughturned towards him in his recent dilemma. Knowing the address of hischambers in Pump-court, he hurried thither, and was in due courseadmitted by a very small child, who apparently filled the responsibleoffice of clerk to Mr. James Short and several other learned gentlemen, whose names appeared upon the door. 

The infant regarded Eustace, when he opened the door, with a look of suchpreternatural sharpness, that it almost frightened him. The beginning ofthat eagle glance was full of inquiring hope, and the end of resigneddespair. The child had thought that Eustace might be a client come totread the paths which no client ever had trod. Hence the hope and thedespair in his eyes. Eustace had nothing of the solicitor's clerk abouthim. Clearly he was not a client. 

Mr. Short was in "that door to the right. " Eustace knocked, and enteredinto a bare little chamber about the size of a large housemaid's closet, furnished with a table, three chairs (one a basket easy), and abook-case, with a couple of dozen of law books, and some old volumes ofreports, and a broad window-sill, in the exact centre of which lay thesolitary and venerated brief. 

Mr. James Short was a short, stout young man, with black eyes, a hookednose, and a prematurely bald head. Indeed, this baldness of the head wasthe only distinguishing mark between James and John, and, therefore, athing to be thankful for, though, of course, useless to the perplexedacquaintance who met them in the street when their hats were on. At themoment of Eustace's entry Mr. Short had been engaged in studying thatintensely legal print, the _Sporting Times_, which, however, from someunexplained bashfulness, he had hastily thrown under the table, fillingits space with a law book snatched at hazard from the shelf. 

"All right, old fellow, " said Eustace, whose quick eyes had caught thequick flutter of the vanishing paper; "don't be alarmed, it's only me. "

"Ah!" said Mr. James Short, when he had shaken hands with him, "you see Ithought that it might have been a client--a client is always possible, however improbable, and one has to be ready to meet the possibility. "

"Quite so, old fellow, " said Eustace; "but do you know, as it happens, Iam a client--and a big one, too; it is a matter of two millions ofmoney--my uncle's fortune. There was another will, and I want to takeyour advice. "

Mr. Short fairly bounded out of the chair in exultation, and then, struckby another thought, sank back into it again. 

"My dear Meeson, " he said, "I am sorry I cannot hear you. "

"Eh, " said Eustace; "what do you mean?"

"I mean that you are not accompanied by a solicitor, and it is not theetiquette of the profession to which I belong to see a clientunaccompanied by a solicitor. "

"Oh, hang the etiquette of the profession!"

"My dear Meeson, if you came to me as a friend I should be happy to giveyou any legal information in my power, and I flatter myself that I knowsomething of matters connected with probate. But you yourself said thatyou have come as a client, and in that case the personal relationshipsinks into the background and is superseded by the official relationship. Under these circumstances it is evident that the etiquette of theprofession intervenes, which overmastering force compels me to point outto you how improper and contrary to precedent it would be for me tolisten to you without the presence of a properly qualified solicitor. "

"Oh, Lord!" gasped Eustace, "I had no idea that you were so particular; Ithought perhaps that you would be glad of the job. "

"Certainly--certainly! In the present state of my practice, " as heglanced at the solitary brief, "I should be the last to wish to turn awaywork. Let me suggest that you should go and consult my brother John, inthe Poultry. I believe business is rather slack with him just now, so Ithink it probable that you will find him disengaged. Indeed, I dare saythat I may go so far as to make an appointment for him here--let us sayin an hour's time. Stop! I will consult my clerk! Dick!"

The infant appeared. 

"I believe that I have no appointment for this morning?"

"No, Sir, " said Dick, with a twinkle in his eye. "One moment, Sir, Iwill consult the book, " and he vanished, to return presently withthe information that Mr. Short's time was not under any contributionsthat day. 

"Very good, " said Mr. Short; "then make an entry of an appointment withMr. John Short and Mr. Meeson, at two precisely. "

"Yes, Sir, " said Dick, departing to the unaccustomed task. 

As soon as Eustace had departed from Tweedledum to Tweedledee, or, inother words, from James, barrister, to John, solicitor, Dick was againsummoned and bade go to a certain Mr. Thomson on the next floor. Mr. Thomson had an excellent library, which had come to him by will. On thestrength of this bequest, he had become a barrister-at-law, and theobject of Dick's visit was to request the loan of the eighth volume ofthe statutes revised, containing the Wills Act of 1 Vic. , cap. 26, "Brownon Probate, " "Dixon on Probate, " and "Powles on Brown, " to the study ofwhich valuable books Mr. James Short devoted himself earnestly whilstawaiting his client's return. 

Meanwhile, Eustace had made his way in a two-penny 'bus to one of thosebusy courts in the City where Mr. John Short practised as a solicitor. Mr. Short's office was, Eustace discovered by referring to a noticeboard, on the seventh floor of one of the tallest houses he had everseen. However, up he went with a stout heart, and after some fiveminutes of a struggle, that reminded him forcibly of climbing theladders of a Cornish mine, he arrived at a little door right at the verytop of the house on which was painted "Mr. John Short, solicitor. "Eustace knocked and the door was opened by a small boy, so like thesmall boy he had seen at Mr. James Short's at the temple that he fairlystarted. Afterwards the mystery was explained. Like their masters, thetwo small boys were brothers. 

Mr. John Short was within, and Eustace was ushered into his presence. To all appearance he was consulting a voluminous mass of correspondencewritten on large sheets of brief paper; but when he looked at itclosely, it seemed to Eustace that the edges of the paper were veryyellow, and the ink was much faded. This, however, was not to bewondered at, seeing that Mr. John Short had taken them over with theother fixtures of the office. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

SHORT ON LEGAL ETIQUETTE. 

"Well, Meeson, what is it? Have you come to ask me to lunch?" askedMr. John Short. "Do you know I actually thought that you might havebeen a client. "

"Well, by Jove, old fellow, and so I am, " answered Eustace. "I have beento your brother, and he has sent me on to you, because he says that it isnot the etiquette of the profession to see a client unless a solicitor ispresent, so he has referred me to you. "

"Perfectly right, perfectly right of my brother James, Meeson. Considering how small are his opportunities of becoming cognizant withthe practice of his profession, it is extraordinary how well he isacquainted with its theory. And now, what is the point?"

"Well, do you know, Short, as the point is rather a long one, and as yourbrother said that he should expect us at two precisely, I think that wehad better take the 'bus back to the Temple, when I can tell the yarn toboth of you at once. "

"Very well. I do not, as a general rule, like leaving my office at thistime of day, as it is apt to put clients to inconvenience, especiallysuch of them as come from a distance. But I will make an exception foryou, Meeson. William, " he went on, to the counterpart of the Pump-courtinfant, "if anyone calls to see me, will you be so good as to tell themthat I am engaged in an important conference at the chambers of Mr. Short, in Pump-court, but that I hope to be back by half-past three?"

"Yes, Sir, " said William, as he shut the door behind them: "certainly, Sir. " And then, having placed the musty documents upon the shelf, whencethey could be fetched down without difficulty on the slightest sign of aclient, that ingenious youth, with singular confidence that nobody wouldbe inconvenienced thereby, put a notice on the door to the effect that hewould be back immediately, and adjourned to indulge in the passionatelyexhilarating game of "chuck farthing" with various other small clerks ofhis acquaintance. 

In due course, Eustace and his legal adviser arrived at Pump-court, and, oh! how the heart of James, the barrister, swelled with pride when, forthe first time in his career, he saw a real solicitor enter his chambersaccompanied by a real client. He would, indeed, have preferred it if thesolicitor had not happened to be his twin-brother, and the client hadbeen some other than his intimate friend; but still it was a blessedsight--a very-blessed sight!

"Will you be seated, gentlemen?" he said with much dignity. 

They obeyed. 

"And now, Meeson, I suppose that you have explained to my brother thematter on which you require my advice?"

"No, I haven't, " said Eustace; "I thought I might as well explain it toyou both together, eh?"

"Hum, " said James; "it is not quite regular. According to the etiquetteof the profession to which I have the honour to belong, it is notcustomary that matters should be so dealt with. It is usual that papersshould be presented; but that I will overlook, as the point appears to bepressing. "

"That's right, " said Eustace. "Well, I have come to see about a will. "

"So I understand, " said James; "but what will, and where is it?"

"Well, it's a will in my favour, and is tattooed upon a lady's neck. "

The twins simultaneously rose from their chairs, and looked at Eustacewith such a ridiculous identity of movement and expression that he fairlyburst out laughing. 

"I presume, Meeson, that this is not a hoax, " said James, severely. "Ipresume that you know too well what is due to learned counsel to attemptto make one of their body the victim of a practical joke?"

"Surely, Meeson, " added John, "you have sufficient respect for thedignity of the law not to tamper with it in any such way as my brotherhas indicated?"

"Oh, certainly not. I assure you it is all square. It is a true bill, orrather a true will. "

"Proceed, " said James, resuming his seat. "This is evidently a case of anunusual nature. "

"You are right there, old boy, " said Eustace. "And now, just listen, "and he proceeded to unfold his moving tale with much point and emphasis. 

When he had finished John looked at James rather helplessly. The case wasbeyond him. But James was equal to the occasion. He had mastered thatfirst great axiom which every young barrister should lay to heart--"Neverappear to be ignorant. "

"This case, " he said, as though he were giving judgment, "is, doubtless, of a remarkable nature, and I cannot at the moment lay my hand upon anyauthority bearing on the point--if, indeed, any such are to be found. ButI speak off-hand, and must not be held too closely to the _obiter dictum_of a _viva voce_ opinion. It seems to me that, notwithstanding itspeculiar idiosyncrasies, and the various 'cruces' that it presents, itwill, upon closer examination, be found to fall within those general lawsthat govern the legal course of testamentary disposition. If I rememberaright--I speak off-hand--the Act of 1. Vic. , cap. 26, specifies that awill shall be in writing, and tattooing may fairly be defined as a rudevariety of writing. It is, I admit, usual that writing should be done onpaper or parchment, but I have no doubt that the young lady's skin, ifcarefully removed and dried, would make excellent parchment. At present, therefore, it is parchment in its green stage, and perfectly availablefor writing purposes. 

"To continue. It appears--I am taking Mr. Meeson's statement as beingperfectly accurate--that the will was properly and duly executed by thetestator, or rather by the person who tattooed in his presence and at hiscommand: a form of signature which is very well covered by the sectionof the Act of 1. Vic. , cap. 26. It seems, too, that the witnessesattested in the presence of each other and of the testator. It is truethat there was no attestation clause: but the supposed necessity for anattestation clause is one of those fallacies of the lay mind which, perhaps, cluster more frequently and with a greater persistence roundquestions connected with testamentary disposition than those of any otherbranch of the law. Therefore, we must take the will to have been properlyexecuted in accordance with the spirit of the statute. 

"And now we come to what at present strikes me as the crux. The will isundated. Does that invalidate it? I answer with confidence, no. And mark:evidence--that of Lady Holmhurst--can be produced that this will did notexist upon Miss Augusta Smithers previous to Dec. 19, on which day theKangaroo sank; and evidence can also be produced--that of Mrs. Thomas--that it did exist on Christmas Day, when Miss Smithers wasrescued. It is, therefore, clear that it must have got upon her backbetween Dec. 19 and Dec. 25. "

"Quite so, old fellow, " said Eustace, much impressed at this coruscationof legal lore. "Evidently you are the man to tackle the case. But, I say, what is to be done next? You see, I'm afraid it's too late. Probate hasissued, whatever that may mean. "

"Probate has issued!" echoed the great James, struggling with his risingcontempt; "and is the law so helpless that probate which has been allowedto issue under an erroneous apprehension of the facts cannot be recalled?Most certainly not! So soon as the preliminary formalities are concluded, a writ must be issued to revoke the probate, and claiming that the Courtshould pronounce in favour of the later will; or, stay, there is noexecutor--there is no executor!--a very important point--claiming a grantof letters of administration with the will annexed: I think that will bethe better course. "

"But how can you annex Miss Smithers to a 'grant of letters ofadministration, ' whatever that may mean?" said Eustace, feebly. 

"That reminds me, " said James, disregarding the question and addressinghis brother, "you must at once file Miss Smithers in the registry, andsee to the preparation of the usual affidavit of scripts. "

"Certainly, certainly, " said John, as though this were the most simplebusiness in the world. 

"What?" gasped Eustace, as a vision of Augusta impaled upon an enormousbill-guard rose before his eyes. "You can't file a lady; it'simpossible!"

"Impossible or not, it must be done before any further steps are taken. Let me see; I believe that Dr. Probate is the sitting Registrar atSomerset House this sittings. It would be well if you made an appointmentfor to-morrow. "

"Yes, " said John. 

"Well, " went on James, "I think that is all for the present. You will, ofcourse, let me have the instructions and other papers with all possiblespeed. I suppose that other counsel besides myself will be ultimatelyretained?"

"Oh! that reminds me, " said Eustace; "about money, you know. I don'tquite see how I am going to pay for all this game. I have got about fiftypounds spare cash in the world, and that's all: and I know enough to beaware that fifty pounds do not go far in a lawsuit. "

Blankly James looked at John and John at James. This was very trying. 

"Fifty pounds will go a good way in out-of-pocket fees, " suggested James, at length, rubbing his bald head with his handkerchief. 

"Possibly, " answered John, pettishly; "but how about the remuneration ofthe plaintiff's legal advisers? Can't you"--addressing Eustace--"manageto get the money from someone?"

"Well, " said Eustace, "there's Lady Holmhurst. Perhaps if I offered toshare the spoil with her, if there was any. "

"Dear me, no, " said John; "that would be 'maintenance. '"

"Certainly not, " chimed in James, holding up his hand in dismay. "Mostclearly it would be 'Champerty'; and did it come to the knowledge of theCourt, nobody can say what might not happen. "

"Indeed, " answered Eustace, with a sigh, "I don't quite know what youmean, but I seem to have said something very wrong. The odds on ahandicap are child's play to understand beside this law, " he added sadly. 

"It is obvious, James, " said John, that, "putting aside other matters, this would prove, independent of pecuniary reward, a most interestingcase for you to conduct. "

"That is so, John, " replied James; "but as you must be well aware, theetiquette of my profession will not allow me to conduct a case fornothing. Upon that point, above all others, etiquette rules us with arod of iron. The stomach of the bar, collective and individual, isrevolted and scandalised at the idea of one of its members doinganything for nothing. "

"Yes, " put in Eustace, "I have always understood they wereregular nailers. "

"Quite so, my dear James; quite so, " said John, with a sweet smile. "Afee must be marked upon the brief of learned counsel, and that fee bepaid to him, together with many other smaller fees; for learned counselis like the cigarette-boxes and new-fashioned weighing-machines at thestations: he does not work unless you drop something down him. But thereis nothing to prevent learned counsel from returning that fee, and allthe little fees. Indeed, James, you will see that this practice is commonamongst the most eminent of your profession, when, for instance, theyrequire an advertisement or wish to pay a delicate compliment to aconstituency. What do they do then? They wait till they find £500 markedupon a brief, and then resign their fee. Why should you not do the samein this case, in your own interest? Of course, if we win the cause, theother side or the estate will pay the costs; and if we lose, you will atleast have had the advantage, the priceless advantage, of a uniqueadvertisement. "

"Very well, John; let it be so, " said James, with magnanimity. "Yourcheck for fees will be duly returned; but it must be understood that theyare to be presented. "

"Not at the bank, " said John, hastily. "I have recently had to oblige aclient, " he added by way of explanation to Eustace, "and my balance israther low. "

"No, " said James; "I quite understand. I was going to say 'are to bepresented to my clerk. '"

And with this solemn farce, the conference came to an end. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

HOW AUGUSTA WAS FILED. 

That very afternoon Eustace returned to Lady Holmhurst's house inHanover-square, to tell his dear Augusta that she must attend on thefollowing morning to be filed in the Registry at Somerset House. Asmay be imagined, though willing to go any reasonable length to obligeher new-found lover, Augusta not unnaturally resisted this courseviolently, and was supported in her resistance by her friend LadyHolmhurst, who, however, presently left the room, leaving them tosettle it as they liked. 

"I do think that it is a little hard, " said Augusta with a stamp of herfoot, "that, after all that I have gone through, I should be taken off tohave my unfortunate back stared at by a Doctor some one or other, andthen be shut up with a lot of musty old wills in a Registry. "

"Well, my dearest girl, " said Eustace, "either it must be done or elsethe whole thing must be given up. Mr. John Short declares that it isabsolutely necessary that the document should be placed in the custody ofthe officer of the Court. "

"But how am I going to live in a cupboard, or in an iron safe with a lotof wills?" asked Augusta, feeling very cross indeed. 

"I don't know, I am sure, " said Eustace; "Mr. John Short says that thatis a matter which the learned Doctor will have to settle. His ownopinion is that the learned Doctor--confound him!--will order that youshould accompany him about wherever he goes till the trial comes off;for, you see, in that way you would never be out of the custody of anofficer of the Court. But, " went on Eustace, gloomily, "all I can tellhim, if he makes that order, is, that if he takes you about with him hewill have to take me too. "

"Why?" said Augusta. 

"Why? Because I don't trust him--that's why. Old? oh, yes; I dare say heis old. And, besides, just think: this learned gentleman has practisedfor twenty years in the Divorce Court! Now, I ask you, what can youexpect from a gentleman, however learned, who has practised for twentyyears in the Divorce Court? I know him, " went on Eustace, vindictively--"I know him. He will fall in love with you himself. Why, hewould be an old duffer if he didn't. "

"Really, " said Augusta, bursting out laughing, "you are tooridiculous, Eustace. "

"I don't know about being ridiculous, Augusta: but if you think I amgoing to let you be marched about by that learned Doctor without my beingthere to look after you, you are mistaken. Why, of course he would fallin love with you, or some of his clerks would; nobody could be near youfor a couple of days without doing so. "

"Do you think so?" said Augusta, looking at him very sweetly. 

"Yes, I do, " he answered, and thus the conversation came to an end andwas not resumed till dinner-time. 

On the following morning at eleven o'clock, Eustace, who had managed toget a few days' leave from his employers, arrived with Mr. John Short totake Augusta and Lady Holmhurst--who was going to chaperon her--toSomerset House, whither, notwithstanding her objections of the previousday, she had at last consented to go. Mr. Short was introduced, and muchimpressed both the ladies by the extraordinary air of learning andcommand which was stamped upon his countenance. He wanted to inspect thewill at once; but Augusta struck at this, saying that it would be quiteenough to have her shoulders stared at once that day. With a sigh and ashake of the head at her unreasonableness, Mr. John Short submitted, andthen the carriage came round and they were all driven off to SomersetHouse. Presently they were there, and after threading innumerable chillypassages, reached a dismal room with an almanack, a dirty deal table, anda few chairs in it, wherein were congregated several solicitors' clerks, waiting their turn to appear before the Registrar. Here they waited forhalf-an-hour or more, to Augusta's considerable discomfort, for she soonfound that she was an object of curiosity and closest attention to thesolicitors' clerks, who never took their eyes off her. Presently shediscovered the reason, for having remarkably quick ears, she overheardone of the solicitors' clerks, a callow little man with yellow hair andan enormous diamond pin, whose appearance somehow reminded her of anew-born chicken, tell another, who was evidently of the Jewish faith, that she (Augusta) was the respondent in the famous divorce case of Jonesv. Jones, and was going to appear before the Registrar to submit herselfto cross examination in some matter connected with a grant of alimony. Now, as all London was talking about the alleged iniquities of the Mrs. Jones in question, whose moral turpitude was only equalled by herbeauty, Augusta did not feel best pleased, although she perceived thatshe instantly became an object of heartfelt admiration to the clerks. 

Presently, however, somebody poked his head through the door, which heopened just wide enough to admit it, and bawling out--

"Short, re Meeson, " vanished as abruptly as he had come. 

"Now, Lady Holmhurst, if you please, " said Mr. John Short, "allow me toshow the way, if you will kindly follow with the will--this way, please. "

In another minute, the unfortunate "will" found herself in a large andlofty room, at the top of which, with his back to the light, sat a mostagreeable-looking middle-aged gentleman, who, as they advanced, rose witha politeness that one does not generally expect from officials on a fixedsalary, and, bowing, asked them to be seated. 

"Well, what can I do for you? Mr. --ah! Mr. "--and he put on hiseye-glasses and referred to his notes--"Mr. Short--you wish to file awill, I understand; and there are peculiar circumstances of some sort inthe case?"

"Yes, Sir; there are, " said Mr. John Short, with much meaning. "The willto be filed in the Registry is the last true will of Jonathan Meeson, ofPompadour Hall, in the county of Warwick, and the property concernedamounts to about two millions. Upon last motion day, the death ofJonathan Meeson, who was supposed to have sunk in the Kangaroo, wasallowed to be presumed, and probate has been taken out. As a matter offact, however, the said Jonathan Meeson perished in Kerguelen Land somedays after the shipwreck, and before he died he duly executed a freshwill in favour of his nephew, Eustace H. Meeson, the gentleman beforeyou. Miss Augusta Smithers"--

"What, " said the learned Registrar, "is this Miss Smithers whom we havebeen reading so much about lately--the Kerguelen Land heroine?"

"Yes; I am Miss Smithers, " she said with a little blush; "and this isLady Holmhurst, whose husband"--and she checked herself. 

"It gives me much pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Smithers, "said the learned Doctor, courteously shaking hands, and bowing to LadyHolmhurst--proceedings which Eustace watched with the jaundiced eye ofsuspicion. "He's beginning already, " said that ardent lover to himself. "I knew how it would be. Trust my Gus into his custody?--never! I hadrather be committed for contempt. "

"The best thing that I can do, Sir, " went on John Short, impatiently, for, to his severe eye, these interruptions were not seemly, "will be toat once offer you inspection of the document, which, I may state, is ofan unusual character, " and he looked at Augusta, who, poor girl, colouredto the eyes. 

"Quite so, quite so, " said the learned Registrar. "Well, has Miss Smithersgot the will? Perhaps she will produce it. "

"Miss Smithers _is_ the will, " said Mr. John Short. 

"Oh--I am afraid that I do not quite understand"--

"To be more precise, Sir, the will is tattooed on Miss Smithers. "

"_What_?" almost shouted the learned Doctor, literally bounding fromhis chair. 

"The will is tattooed upon Miss Smithers's back, " continued Mr. JohnShort, in a perfectly unmoved tone; "and it is now my duty to offer youinspection of the document, and to take your instructions as to how youpropose to file it in the Registry"--

"Inspection of the document--inspection of the document?" gasped theastonished Doctor; "How am I to inspect the document?"

"I must leave that to you, Sir, " said Mr. John Short, regarding thelearned Registrar's shrinking form with contempt not unmixed with pity. "The will is on the lady's back, and I, on behalf of the plaintiff, meanto get a grant with the document annexed. "

Lady Holmhurst began to laugh; and as for the learned Doctor, anythingmore absurd than he looked, intrenched as he was behind his office chair, with perplexity written on his face, it would be impossible to imagine. 

"Well, " he said at length, "I suppose that I must come to a decision. Itis a painful matter, very, to a person of modest temperament. However, Icannot shrink from my duty, and must face it. Therefore, " he went on withan air of judicial sternness, "therefore, Miss Smithers, I must troubleyou to show me this alleged will. There is a cupboard there, " and hepointed to the corner of the room, "where you can make--'um--make thenecessary preparations. "

"Oh, it isn't quite so bad as that, " said Augusta, with a sigh, and shebegan to remove her jacket. 

"Dear me!" he said, observing her movement with alarm, "I suppose she ishardened, " he continued to himself: "but I dare say one gets used to thissort of thing upon desert islands. "

Meanwhile poor Augusta had got her jacket off. She was dressed inan evening dress, and had a white silk scarf over her shoulder: thisshe removed. 

"Oh, " he said, "I see--in evening dress. Well, of course, that isquite a different matter. And so that is the will--well, I have hadsome experience, but I never saw or heard of anything like it before. Signed and attested, but not dated. Ah! unless, " he added, "the dateis lower down. "

"No, " said Augusta, "there is no date; I could not stand any moretattooing. It was all done at one sitting, and I got faint. "

"I don't wonder at it, I am sure. I think it is the bravest thing I everheard of, " and he bowed with much grace. 

"Ah, " muttered Eustace, "he's beginning to pay compliments now, insidiousold hypocrite!"

"Well, " went on the innocent and eminently respectable object of hissuspicions, "of course the absence of a date does not invalidate awill--it is matter for proof, that is all. But there, I am not in aposition to give any opinion about the case; it is quite beyond me, andbesides, that is not my business. But now, Miss Smithers, as you haveonce put yourself in the custody of the Registry in the capacity of awill, might I ask if you have any suggestion to make as to how you are tobe dealt with. Obviously you cannot be locked up with the other wills, and equally obviously it is against the rules to allow a will to go outof the custody of the Court, unless by special permission of the Court. Also it is clear that I cannot put any restraint upon the liberty of thesubject and order you to remain with me. Indeed, I doubt if it would bepossible to do so by any means short of an Act of Parliament. Under thesecircumstances I am, I confess, a little confused as to what course shouldbe taken with reference to this important alleged will. "

"What I have to suggest, Sir, " said Mr. Short, "is that a certified copyof the will should be filed, and that there should be a special paragraphinserted in the affidavit of scripts detailing the circumstances. "

"Ah, " said the learned Doctor, polishing his eye-glasses, "you have givenme an idea. With Miss Smithers' consent we will file something betterthan a certified copy of the will--we will file a photographic copy. Theinconvenience to Miss Smithers will be trifling, and it may preventquestions being raised hereafter. "

"Have you any objections to that, my dear?" asked Lady Holmhurst. 

"Oh, no, I suppose not, " said Augusta mournfully; "I seem to be publicproperty now. "

"Very well, then; excuse me for a moment, " said the learned Doctor. "There is a photographer close by whom I have had occasion to employofficially. I will write and see if he can come round. "

In a few minutes an answer came back from the photographer that he wouldbe happy to wait upon Doctor Probate at three o'clock, up to which hourhe was engaged. 

"Well, " said the Doctor, "it is clear that I cannot let Miss Smithers outof the custody of the Court till the photograph is taken. Let me see, Ithink that yours was my last appointment this morning. Now, what do yousay to the idea of something to eat? We are not five minutes drive fromSimpson's, and I shall feel delighted if you will make a pleasure of anecessity. "

Lady Holmhurst, who was getting very hungry, said that she should be mostpleased, and, accordingly, they all--with the exception of Mr. JohnShort, who departed about some business, saying that he would return atthree o'clock--drove off in Lady Holmhurst's carriage to the restaurant, where this delightful specimen of the genus Registrar stood them a mostsumptuous champagne lunch, and made himself so agreeable, that both theladies nearly fell in love with him, and even Eustace was constrained toadmit to himself that good things can come out of the Divorce Court. Finally, the doctor wound up the proceedings, which were of a most livelyorder, and included an account of Augusta's adventures, with a toast. 

"I hear from Lady Holmhurst, " he said, "that you two young people aregoing to take the preliminary step--um--towards a possible futureappearance in that Court with which I had for many years the honor ofbeing connected--that is, that you are going to get married. Now, matrimony is, according to my somewhat extended experience, anundertaking of a venturesome order, though cases occasionally come underone's observation where the results have proved to be in every waysatisfactory; and I must say that, if I may form an opinion from thefacts as they are before me, I never knew an engagement entered intounder more promising or more romantic auspices. Here the young gentlemanquarrels with his uncle in taking the part of the young lady, and therebyis disinherited of vast wealth. Then the young lady, under the mostterrible circumstances, takes steps of a nature that not one woman infive hundred would have done to restore to him that wealth. Whether or nothose steps will ultimately prove successful I do not know, and, if Idid, like Herodotus, I should prefer not to say; but whether the wealthcomes or goes, it is impossible but that a sense of mutual confidence anda mutual respect and admiration--that is, if a more quiet thing, certainly, also, a more enduring thing, than mere 'love'--must and willresult from them. Mr. Meeson, you are indeed a fortunate man. In MissSmithers you are going to marry beauty, courage, and genius, and if youwill allow an older man of some experience to drop the official and giveyou a word of advice, it is this: always try to deserve your goodfortune, and remember that a man who, in his youth, finds such a woman, and is enabled by circumstances to marry her, is indeed--

_Smiled on by Joy, and cherished of the Gods. _

"And now I will end my sermon, and wish you both health and happiness andfulness of days, " and he drank off his glass of champagne, and looked sopleasant and kindly that Augusta longed to kiss him on the spot, and asfor Eustace, he shook hands with him warmly, and then and there afriendship began between the two which endures till now. 

And then they all went back to the office, and there was the photographerwaiting with all his apparatus, and astonished enough he was when hefound out what the job was that he had to do. However, the task proved aneasy one enough, as the light of the room was suitable, and the darklines of cuttle ink upon Augusta's neck would, the man said, come outperfectly in the photograph. So he took two or three shots at her backand then departed, saying that he would bring a life-sized reproductionto be filed in the Registry in a couple of days. 

And after that the learned Registrar also shook hands with them, and saidthat he need detain them no longer, as he now felt justified in allowingAugusta out of his Custody. 

And so they departed, glad to have got over the first step so pleasantly. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

AUGUSTA FLIES. 

Of course, Augusta's story, so far as it was publicly known, had createdno small stir, which was considerably emphasised when pictures of herappeared in the illustrated papers, and it was discovered that she wasyoung and charming. But the excitement, great as it was, was as nothingcompared to that which arose when the first whispers of the tale of thewill, which was tattooed upon her shoulders, began to get about. Paragraphs and stories about this will appeared in the papers, but ofcourse she took no notice of these. 

On the fourth day, however, after she had been photographed for thepurposes of the Registry, things came to a climax. It so happened that onthat morning Lady Holmhurst asked Augusta to go to a certain shop inRegent-street to get some lace which she required to trim her widow'sdresses, and accordingly at about half-past twelve o'clock she started, accompanied by the lady's maid. As soon as they shut the front door ofthe house in Hanover-square she noticed two or three doubtful-looking menwho were loitering about, and who instantly followed them, staring at herwith all their eyes. She made her way along, however, without taking anynotice until she got to Regent-street, by which time there were quite ascore of people walking after her whispering excitedly at each other. InRegent-street itself, the first thing that she saw was a man sellingphotographs. Evidently he was doing a roaring trade, for there was aconsiderable crowd round him, and he was shouting something which shecould not catch. Presently a gentleman, who had bought one of thephotographs, stopped just in front of her to look at it, and as he wasshort and Augusta was tall, she could see over his shoulder, and the nextsecond started back with an indignant exclamation. "No wonder!" for thephotograph was one of herself as she had been taken in the low dress inthe Registry. There was no mistake about it--there was the picture of thewill tattooed right across her shoulders. 

Nor did her troubles end there, for at that moment a man camebawling down the street carrying a number of the first edition of anevening paper--

"Description and picture of the lovely 'eroine of the Cockatoo, " heyelled, "with the will tattooed upon 'er! Taken from the originalphotograph! Facsimile picture!"

"Oh, dear me, " said Augusta to the maid, "that is really too bad. Letus go home. "

But meanwhile the crowd at her back had gathered and increased to anextraordinary extent and was slowly inclosing her in a circle. The factwas, that the man who had followed her from Hanover-square had told theothers who joined their ranks, who the lady was, and she was nowidentified. 

"That's her, " said one man. 

"Who?" said another. 

"Why, the Miss Smithers as escaped from the Kangaroo and has the will onher back, in course. "

There was a howl of exultation from the mob, and in another second thewretched Augusta was pressed, together with the lady's maid, who began toscream with fright, right up against a lamp-post, while a crowd of eagerfaces, mostly unwashed, were pushed almost into her own. Indeed, sofierce was the crowd in its attempt to get a glimpse of the latestcuriosity, that she began to think that she would be thrown down andtrampled under foot, when timely relief arrived in the shape of twopolicemen and a gentleman volunteer, who managed to rescue her and getthem into a hansom cab, which started for Hanover-square, pursued by ashouting crowd of nondescript individuals. 

Now, Augusta was a woman of good-nerve and resolution; but this sort ofthing was too trying, and, accordingly, accompanied by Lady Holmhurst, she went off, that very day, to some rooms in a little riverside hotel onthe Thames. 

When Eustace, walking down the Strand that afternoon, found everyphotograph-shop full of accurate pictures of the shoulders of hisbeloved, he was simply furious; and, rushing to the photographer who hadtaken the picture in the Registry, threatened him with proceedings ofevery sort and kind. The man admitted outright that he had put thephotographs upon the market, saying that he had never stipulated not todo so, and that he could not afford to throw away five or six hundredpounds when a chance of making it came in his way. 

Thereon Eustace departed, still vowing vengeance, to consult the legaltwins. As a result of this, within a week, Mr. James Short made a motionfor and injunction against the photographer, restraining the sale of thephotographs in question, on the ground that such sale, being of copies ofa document vital to a cause now pending in the Court, those copies havingbeen obtained through the instrumentality of an officer of the court, Dr. Probate, the sale thereof amounted to a contempt, inasmuch as, if for noother reason, the photographer who obtained them became technically, andfor that purpose only, an officer of the Court, and had, therefore, noright to part with them, or any of them, without the leave of the Court. It will be remembered that this motion gave rise to some very delicatequestions connected with the powers of the Court in such a matter, andalso incidentally with the law of photographic copyright. It is alsomemorable for the unanimous and luminous judgment finally delivered bythe Lords Justices of Appeal, whereby the sale of the photographs wasstopped, and the photographer was held to have been guilty of a technicalcontempt. This judgment contained perhaps the most searching and learneddefinition of constructive contempt that has yet been formulated: but forthe text of this, I must refer the student to the law reports, because, as it took two hours to deliver, I fear that it would, notwithstandingits many beauties, be thought too long for the purpose of this history. Unfortunately, however, it did not greatly benefit Augusta, the victimof the unlawful dissemination of photographs of her shoulders, inasmuchas the judgment was not delivered till a week after the great case ofMeeson v. Addison and Another had been settled. 

About a week after Augusta's adventure in Regent-street, a motion wasmade in the Court of Probate on behalf of the defendants, Messrs. Addisonand Roscoe, who were the executors and principal beneficiaries under theformer will of November, 1885, demanding that the Court should order theplaintiff to file a further and better affidavit of scripts, with theoriginal will got up by him attached, the object, of course, being tocompel an inspection of the document. This motion, which first broughtthe whole case under the notice of the public, was strenuously resistedby Mr. James Short, and resulted in the matter being referred to thelearned Registrar for his report. On the next motion day this report waspresented, and, on its appearing from it that the photography had takenplace in his presence and accurately represented the tattoo marks on thelady's shoulders, the Court declined to harass the "will" by ordering herto submit to any further inspection before the trial. It was on thisoccasion that it transpired that the will was engaged to be married tothe plaintiff, a fact at which the Court metaphorically opened its eyes. After this the defendants obtained leave to amend their answer to theplaintiffs statement of claim. At first they had only pleaded that thetestator had not duly executed the alleged will in accordance with theprovisions of 1 Vic. , cap. 26, sec. 2, and that he did not know andapprove the contents thereof. But now they added a plea to the effectthat the said alleged will was obtained by the undue influence of AugustaSmithers, or, as one of the learned counsel for the defendants put itmuch more clearly at the trial, "that the will had herself procured thewill, by an undue projection of her own will upon the unwilling mind ofthe testator. "

And so the time went on. As often as he could, Eustace got away fromLondon, and went down to the little riverside hotel, and was as happy asa man can be who has a tremendous law suit hanging over him. The law, nodoubt, is an admirable institution, out of which a large number of peoplemake a living, and a proportion of benefit accrues to the community atlarge. But woe unto those who form the subject-matter of its operations. For instance, the Court of Chancery is an excellent institution intheory, and looks after the affairs of minors upon the purest principles. But how many of its wards after, and as a result of one of itswell-intentioned interferences, have to struggle for the rest of theirlives under a load of debt raised to pay the crushing costs! To employthe Court of Chancery to look after wards is something as though one seta tame elephant to pick up pins. No doubt he could pick them up, but itwould cost something to feed him. It is a perfectly arguable propositionthat the Court of Chancery produces as much wretchedness and poverty asit prevents, and it certainly is a bold step, except under the mostexceptionable circumstances, to place anybody in its custody who hasmoney that can be dissipated in law expenses. But of course these arerevolutionary remarks, which one cannot expect everybody to agree with, least of all the conveyancing counsel of the Court. 

However this may be, certainly his impending lawsuit proved a fly inEustace's honey. Never a day passed but some fresh worry arose. Jamesand John, the legal twins, fought like heroes, and held their ownalthough their experience was so small--as men of talent almostinvariably do when they are put to it. But it was difficult for Eustaceto keep them supplied even with sufficient money for out-of-pocketexpenses; and, of course, as was natural in a case in which such enormoussums were at stake, and in which the defendants were already men of vastwealth, they found the flower of the entire talent and weight of the Bararrayed against them. Naturally Eustace felt, and so did Mr. JamesShort--who, notwithstanding his pomposity and the technicality of histalk, was both a clever and sensible man--that more counsel, men ofweight and experience, ought to be briefed; but there were absolutely nofunds for this purpose, nor was anybody likely to advance any upon thesecurity of a will tattooed upon a young lady's back. This was awkward, because success in law proceedings so very often leans towards theweightiest purse, and Judges however impartial, being but men after all, are more apt to listen to an argument which is urged upon their attentionby an Attorney-General than on one advanced by an unknown junior. 

However, there the fact was, and they had to make the best of it; and apoint in their favour was that the case, although of a most remarkablenature, was comparatively simple, and did not involve any great mass ofdocumentary evidence. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

MEESON V. ADDISON AND ANOTHER. 

The most wearisome times go by at last if only one lives to see the endof them, and so it came to pass that at length on one fine morning abouta quarter to ten of the Law Courts' clock, that projects its ghastlyhideousness upon unoffending Fleet-street, Augusta, accompanied byEustace, Lady Holmhurst, and Mrs. Thomas, the wife of Captain Thomas, whohad come up from visiting her relatives in the Eastern counties in orderto give evidence, found herself standing in the big entrance to the newLaw Courts, feeling as though she would give five years of her life to beanywhere else. 

"This way, my dear, " said Eustace; "Mr. John Short said that he wouldmeet us by the statue in the hall. " Accordingly they passed into thearchway by the oak stand where the cause-lists are displayed. Augustaglanced at them as she went, and the first thing that her eyes fell onwas "Probate and Divorce Division Court I. , at 10. 30, Meeson v. Addisonand Another, " and the sight made her feel ill. In another moment they hadpassed a policeman of gigantic size, "monstrum horrendum, informe, ingens, " who watches and wards the folding-doors through which so muchhuman learning, wretchedness, and worry pass day by day, and werestanding in the long, but narrow and ill-proportioned hall which appearsto have been the best thing that the architectural talent of thenineteenth century was capable of producing. 

To the right of the door on entering is a statue of the architect of apile of which England has certainly no cause to feel proud, and here, ablack bag full of papers in his hand, stood Mr. John Short, wearing thatair of excitement upon his countenance which is so commonly to be seen inthe law courts. 

"Here you are, " he said, "I was beginning to be afraid that you would belate. We are first on the list, you know; the judge fixed it speciallyto suit the convenience of the Attorney-General. He's on the other side, you know, " he added, with a sigh. "I'm sure I don't know how poor Jameswill get on. There are more than twenty counsel against him, for all thelegatees under the former will are represented. At any rate, he is wellup in his facts, and there does not seem to me to be very much law inthe case. "

Meanwhile, they had been proceeding up the long hall till they came to apoky little staircase which had just been dug out in the wall, thenecessity for a staircase at that end of the hall, whereby the courtfloor could be reached having, to all appearance, originally escaped theattention of the architect. On getting to the top of the staircase theyturned to the left and then to the left again. If they had had any doubtas to which road they should take it would have been speedily decided bythe long string of wigs which were streaming away in the direction ofDivorce Court No. 1. Thicker and thicker grew the wigs; it was obviousthat the _cause célèbre_ of Meeson v. Addison and Another would not wantfor hearers. Indeed, Augusta and her friends soon realised the intensityof the public interest in a way that was as impressive as it wasdisagreeable, for just past the Admiralty Court the passage was entirelyblocked by an enormous mass of barristers; there might have been fivehundred or more of them. There they were, choked up together in theirwhite-wigged ranks, waiting for the door of the court to be opened. Atpresent it was guarded by six or eight attendants, who, with the help ofa wooden barrier, attempted to keep the surging multitude at bay--whilethose behind cried, "Forward!" and those in front cried "Back!"

"How on earth are we going to get through?" asked Augusta, and atthat moment Mr. John Short caught hold of an attendant who wasstruggling about in the skirts of the crowd like a fly in a cup oftea, and asked him the same question, explaining that their presencewas necessary to the show. 

"I'm bothered if I know, Sir; you can't come this way. I suppose I mustlet you through by the underground passage from the other court. Why, " hewent on, as he led the way to the Admiralty Court, "hang me, if I don'tbelieve that we shall all be crushed to death by them there barristers:It would take a regiment of cavalry to keep them back. And they are a'ungry lot, they are; and they ain't no work to do, and that's why theycomes kicking and tearing and worriting just to see a bit of painting ona young lady's shoulders. "

By this time they had passed through the Admiralty Court, which was notsitting, and been conducted down a sort of well, that terminated in thespace occupied by the Judge's clerks and other officers of the Court. Inanother minute they found themselves emerging in a similar space in theother court. 

Before taking the seat that was pointed out to her and the otherwitnesses in the well of the court, immediately below those reserved forQueen's counsel, Augusta glanced round. The body of the court was as yetquite empty, for the seething mob outside had not yet burst in, thoughtheir repeated shouts of "Open the door!" could be plainly heard. But thejury box was full, not with a jury, for the case was to be tried beforethe Court itself, but of various distinguished individuals, includingseveral ladies, who had obtained orders. The little gallery above wasalso crowded with smart-looking people. As for the seats devoted tocounsel in the cause, they were crammed to overflowing with therepresentatives of the various defendants--so crammed, indeed, that thewretched James Short, sole counsel for the plaintiff, had to establishhimself and his papers in the centre of the third bench sometimes used bysolicitors. 

"Heavens!" said Eustace to Augusta, counting the heads; "there aretwenty-three counsel against us. What will that unfortunate James doagainst so many?"

"I don't know, I'm sure, " said Augusta, with a sigh. "It doesn't seemquite fair, does it? But then, you see, there was no money. "

Just then John Short came up. He had been to speak to his brother. Augusta being a novelist, and therefore a professional student of humanphysiognomy, was engaged in studying the legal types before her, whichshe found resolved themselves into two classes--the sharp, keen-facedclass and the solid, heavy-jawed class. 

"Who on earth are they all?" she asked. 

"Oh, " he said, "that's the Attorney-General. He appears withFiddlestick, Q. C. , Pearl, and Bean for the defendant Addison. Next to himis the Solicitor-General, who, with Playford, Q. C. , Middlestone, Blowhard, and Ross, is for the other defendant, Roscoe. Next to him isTurphy, Q. C. , with the spectacles on; he is supposed to have a greateffect on a jury. I don't know the name of his junior, but he looks asthough he were going to eat one--doesn't he? He is for one of thelegatees. That man behind is Stickon; he is for one of the legatees also. I suppose that he finds probate and divorce an interesting subject, because he is always writing books about them. Next to him is Howles, who, my brother says, is the best comic actor in the court. The shortgentleman in the middle is Telly; he reports for the _Times_. You see, asthis is an important case, he has got somebody to help him to takeit--that long man with a big wig. He, by-the-way, writes novels, like youdo, only not half such good ones. The next"--but at this moment Mr. JohnShort was interrupted by the approach of a rather good-looking man, whowore an eye-glass continually fixed in his right eye. He was Mr. News, ofthe great firm News and News, who were conducting the case on behalf ofthe defendants. 

"Mr. Short, I believe?" said Mr. News, contemplating his opponent'syouthful form with pity, not unmixed with compassion. 

"Yes. "

"Um, Mr. Short, I have been consulting with my clients and--um, theAttorney and Solicitor-General and Mr. Fiddlestick, and we are quitewilling to admit that there are circumstances of doubt in this casewhich would justify us in making an offer of settlement. "

"Before I can enter into that, Mr. News, " said John, with great dignity, "I must request the presence of my counsel. "

"Oh, certainly, " said Mr. News, and accordingly James was summoned fromhis elevated perch, where he was once more going through his notes andthe heads of his opening speech, although he already knew hisbrief--which, to do it justice, had been prepared with extraordinary careand elaboration--almost by heart, and next moment, for the first time inhis life, found himself in consultation with an Attorney and aSolicitor-General. 

"Look here, Short, " said the first of these great men addressing James asthough he had known him intimately for years, though, as a matter offact, he had only that moment ascertained his name from Mr. Fiddlestick, who was himself obliged to refer to Bean before he could be sure ofit--"look here, Short: don't you think that we can settle this business?You've got a strongish case; but there are some ugly things against you, as no doubt you know. "

"I don't quite admit that, " said James. 

"Of course--of course, " said Mr. Attorney; "but still, in my judgment, ifyou will not be offended at my expressing it, you are not quite on firmground. Supposing, for instance, your young lady is not allowed to giveevidence?"

"I think, " said a stout gentleman behind who wore upon his countenancethe very sweetest and most infantile smile that Eustace had ever seen, breaking in rather hastily, as though he was afraid that his learnedleader was showing too much of his hand, "I think that the case is onethat, looked at from either point of view, will bear settlement betterthan fighting--eh, Fiddlestick? But then, I'm a man of peace, " and againhe smiled most seductively at James. 

"What are your terms?" asked James. 

The eminent counsel on the front bench turned round and stuck their wigstogether like a lot of white-headed crows over a bone, and the slightlyless eminent but still highly distinguished juniors on the second benchcraned forward to listen. 

"They are going to settle it, " Eustace heard the barrister who wasreporting for the _Times_ say to his long assistant. 

"They always do settle every case of public interest, " grunted the longman in answer; "we shan't see Miss Smithers' shoulders now. Well, I shallget an introduction to her, and ask her to show them to me. I take agreat interest in tattooing. "

Meanwhile, Fiddlestick, Q. C. , had been writing something on a strip ofpaper and handed to his leader, the Attorney-General (who, Mr. JamesShort saw with respectful admiration, had 500 guineas marked upon hisbrief). He nodded carelessly, and passed it on to his junior, who gave itin turn to the Solicitor-General and Playford, Q. C. When it had gone therounds, Mr. News took it and showed it to his two privileged clients, Messrs. Addison and Roscoe. Addison was a choleric-looking, fat-facedman. Roscoe was sallow, and had a thin, straggly black beard. When theylooked at it, Addison groaned fiercely as a wounded bull, and Roscoesighed, and that sigh and groan told Augusta--who, womanlike, had all herwits about her, and was watching every act of the drama--more than itwas meant to do. It told her that these gentlemen were doing somethingthat they did not like, and doing it because they evidently believed thatthey had no other course open to them. Then Mr. News gave the paper toMr. John Short, who glanced at it and handed it on to his brother, andEustace read it over his shoulder. It was very short, and ranthus:--"Terms offered: Half the property, and defendants pay all costs. "

"Well, Short, " said Eustace, "what do you say, shall we take it?"

James removed his wig, and thoughtfully rubbed his bald head. "It is avery difficult position to be put in, " he said. "Of course a million is alarge sum of money; but there are two at stake. My own view is that wehad better fight the case out; though, of course, this is a certainty, and the result of the case is not. "

"I am inclined to settle, " said Eustace; "not because of the case, for Ibelieve in it, but because of Augusta--of Miss Smithers: you see she willhave to show the tattooing again, and that sort of thing is veryunpleasant for a lady. "

"Oh, as to that, " said James loftily, "at present she must remember thatshe is not a lady, but a legal document. However, let us ask her. "

"Now, Augusta, what shall we do?" said Eustace, when he had explained theoffer; "you see, if we take the offer you will be spared a verydisagreeable time. You must make up your mind quick, for the Judge willbe here in a minute. "

"Oh, never mind me, " said Augusta, quickly; "I am used to disagreeables. No, I shall fight, I tell you they are afraid of you. I can see it inthe face of that horrid Mr. Addison. Just now he positively glared at meand ground his teeth, and he would not do that if he thought that he wasgoing to win. No, dear; I shall fight it out now. "

"Very well, " said Eustace, and he took a pencil and wrote, "Declined withthanks, " at the foot of the offer. 

Just at that moment there came a dull roar from the passage beyond. Thedoors of the court were being opened. Another second, and in rushed andstruggled a hideous sea of barristers. Heavens, how they fought andkicked! A maddened herd of buffaloes could not have behaved moredesperately. On rushed the white wave of wigs, bearing the strong men whohold the door before them like wreckage on a breaker. On they came and inforty seconds the court was crowded to its utmost capacity, and stillthere were hundreds of white wigged men behind. It was a fearful scene. 

"Good gracious!" thought Augusta to herself, "how on earth do they allget a living?" a question that many of them would have found it hardenough to answer. 

Then suddenly an old gentleman near her, whom she discovered to be theusher, jumped up and called "Silence!" in commanding accents, withoutproducing much effect, however, on the palpitating mass of humanity infront. Then in came the officers of the Court; and a moment afterwards, everybody rose as the Judge entered, and, looking, as Augusta thought, very cross when he saw the crowded condition of the court, bowed to thebar and took his seat. 

CHAPTER XX. 

JAMES BREAKS DOWN. 

The Registrar, not Augusta's dear doctor Probate, but another Registrar, rose and called on the case of Meeson v. Addison, and Another, and in aninstant the wretched James Short was on his legs to open the case. 

"What is that gentleman's name?" Augusta heard the Judge ask of theclerk, after making two or three frantic efforts to attract hisattention--a proceeding that the position of his desk rendered verydifficult. 

"Short, my Lord. "

"Do you appear alone for the plaintiff, Mr. Short?" asked the Judge, with emphasis. 

"Yes, my Lord, I do, " answered James, and as he said it every pair ofeyes in that crowded assembly fixed themselves upon him, and a sort ofaudible smile seemed to run round the court. The thing not unnaturallystruck the professional mind as ludicrous and without precedent. 

"And who appears for the defendant?"

"I understand, my Lord, " said the learned Attorney-General, "that all mylearned friends on these two benches appear together, with myself, forone or other of the defendants, or are watching the case in the interestof legatees. "

Here a decided titter interrupted him. 

"I may add that the interests involved in this case are very largeindeed, which accounts for the number of counsel connected in one way orother with the defence. "

"Quite so, Mr. Attorney, " said the Judge: "but, really, the forces seem alittle out of proportion. Of course the matter is not one in which theCourt can interfere. "

"If your Lordship will allow me, " said James, "the only reason thatthe plaintiff is so poorly represented is that the funds to briefother council were, I understand, not forthcoming. I am, however, wellversed in the case and, with your Lordship's permission, will do mybest with it. "

"Very well, Mr. Short, " said the learned Judge, looking at him almostwith pity, "state your case. "

James--in the midst of a silence that could be felt--unfolded hispleadings, and, as he did so, for the first time a sickening sense ofnervousness took hold of him and made him tremble, and, of a sudden, hismind became dark. Most of us have undergone this sensation at one time oranother, with less cause then had poor James. There he was, put up almostfor the first time in his life to conduct, single-handed, a mostimportant case, upon which it was scarcely too much to say the interestof the entire country was concentrated. Nor was this all. Opposed to himwere about twenty counsel, all of them men of experience, and includingin their ranks some of the most famous leaders in England: and, what wasmore, the court was densely crowded with scores of men of his ownprofession, every one of whom was, he felt, regarding him with curiositynot unmixed with pity. Then, there was the tremendous responsibilitywhich literally seemed to crush him, though he had never quite realisedit before. 

"May it please your Lordship, " he began; and then, as I have said, hismind became a ghastly blank, in which dim and formless ideas flittedvaguely to and fro. 

There was a pause--a painful pause. 

"Read your pleadings aloud, " whispered a barrister who was sitting nexthim, and realised his plight. 

This was an idea. One can read pleadings when one cannot collect one'sideas to speak. It is not usual to do so. The counsel in a cause statesthe substance of the pleadings, leaving the Court to refer to them if itthinks necessary. But still there was nothing absolutely wrong about it;so he snatched at the papers and promptly began:

"(I. ) The plaintiff is the sole and universal legatee under the true lastwill of Jonathan Meeson, deceased, late of Pompadour Hall, in the Countyof Warwick, who died on the 23rd of December, 1885, the said will beingundated, but duly executed on, or subsequent to, the 22nd day ofDecember, 1885. "

Here the learned Judge lifted his eyebrows in remonstrance, and clearedhis throat preparatory to interfering; but apparently thought better ofit, for he took up a blue pencil and made a note of the date of the will. 

"(II. ), " went on James. "On the 21st day of May, 1886, probate of analleged will of the said Jonathan Meeson was granted to the defendants, the said will bearing date the 10th day of November, 1885. Theplaintiff claims--

"(1. ) That the court shall revoke probate of the said alleged will of thesaid Jonathan Meeson, bearing date the 10th day of November, 1885, granted to the defendants on the 21st day of May, 1886. 

"(2. ) A grant of letters of administration to the plaintiff with thewill executed on or subsequent to the 22nd day of December, 1885, annexed. (Signed) JAMES SHORT. "

"May it please your Lordship. " James began, again feeling dimly that hehad read enough pleadings, "the defendants have filed an answer pleadingthat the will of the 22nd of December was not duly executed in accordancewith the statute, and that the testator did not know and approve itscontents, and an amended answer pleading that the said alleged will, ifexecuted, was obtained by the undue influence of Augusta Smithers"--andonce more his nervousness overcame him, and he pulled up with a jerk. 

Then came another pause even more dreadful than the first. 

The Judge took another note, as slowly as he could, and once more clearedhis throat; but poor James could not go on. He could only wish that hemight then and there expire, rather than face the hideous humiliation ofsuch a failure. But he would have failed, for his very brain was whirlinglike that of a drunken man, had it not been for an occurrence that causedhim for ever after to bless the name of Fiddlestick, Q. C. , as the name ofan eminent counsel is not often blessed in this ungrateful world. ForFiddlestick, Q. C. , who, it will be remembered, was one of the leaders forthe defendants, had been watching his unfortunate antagonist, till, realising how sorry was his plight, a sense of pity filled his learnedbreast. Perhaps he may have remembered some occasion, in the dim anddistant corner of the past, when he had suffered from a similar access offrantic terror, or perhaps he may have been sorry to think that a youngman should lose such an unrivalled opportunity of making a name. Anyhow, he did a noble act. As it happened, he was sitting at the right-handcorner of the Queen's counsel seats, and piled upon the desk before himwas a tremendous mass of law reports which his clerk had arranged there, containing cases to which it might become necessary to refer. Now, in thepresence of these law reports, Mr. Fiddlestick, in the goodness of hisheart, saw an opportunity of creating a diversion, and he created it witha vengeance. For, throwing his weight suddenly forward as though byaccident, or in a movement of impatience, he brought his bent arm againstthe pile with such force, that he sent every book, and there must havebeen more than twenty of them, over the desk, right on to the head andshoulders of his choleric client, Mr. Addison, who was sittingimmediately beneath, on the solicitors' bench. 

Down went the books with a crash and a bang, and, carried away by theirweight, down went Mr. Addison on to his nose among them--a contingencythat Fiddlestick, Q. C. , by-the-way, had not foreseen, for he hadoverlooked the fact of his client's vicinity. 

The Judge made an awful face, and then, realising the ludicrous nature ofthe scene, his features relaxed into a smile. But Mr. Addison did notsmile. He bounded up off the floor, books slipping off his back in everydirection, and, holding his nose (which was injured) with one hand, cameskipping right at his learned adviser. 

"You did it on purpose!" he almost shouted, quite forgetting where hewas; "just let me get at him, I'll have his wig off!" and then, withoutwaiting for any more, the entire audience burst out into a roar oflaughter, which, however, unseemly, was perfectly reasonable; duringwhich Mr. Fiddlestick could be seen apologising in dumb show, with abland smile upon his countenance, while Mr. News and Mr. Roscoe betweenthem dragged the outraged Addison to his seat, and proffered himhandkerchiefs to wipe his bleeding nose. 

James saw the whole thing, and forgetting his position, laughed too; and, for some mysterious reason, with the laugh his nervousness passed away. 

The usher shouted "Silence!" with tremendous energy, and before the soundhad died away James was addressing the Court in a clear and vigorousvoice, conscious that he was a thorough master of his case, and the wordsto state it in would not fail him. Fiddlestick, Q. C. , had saved him!

"May it please your Lordship, " he began, "the details of this case are ofas remarkable an order as any that to my knowledge have been broughtbefore the Court. The plaintiff, Eustace Meeson, is the sole next-of-kinof Jonathan Meeson, Esquire, the late head of the well known Birminghampublishing firm of Meeson, Addison, and Roscoe. Under a will, bearingdate the 8th of May, 1880, the plaintiff was left sole heir to the greatwealth of his uncle--that is, with the exception of some legacies. Undera second will, now relied on by the defendants, and dated the 10thNovember, 1885, the plaintiff was entirely disinherited, and the presentdefendants, together with some six or eight legatees, were constitutedthe sole beneficiaries. On or about the 22nd December, 1885, however, thetestator executed a third testamentary document under which the plaintifftakes the entire property, and this is the document now propounded. Thistestamentary document, or, rather, will--for I submit that it is inevery sense a properly executed will--is tattooed upon theshoulders"--(Sensation in the court)--"is tattooed upon the shoulders ofa young lady, Miss Augusta Smithers, who will presently be called beforeyour Lordship; and to prevent any misunderstanding, I may as well at oncestate that since this event this lady has become engaged to be married tothe plaintiff (Renewed sensation. )

"Such, my Lord, are the main outlines of the case that I have to presentfor the consideration of the Court, which I think your Lordship willunderstand is of so remarkable and unprecedented a nature that I mustcrave your Lordship's indulgence if I proceed to open it at some length, beginning the history at its commencement. "

By this time James Short had completely recovered his nerve, and was, indeed, almost oblivious of the fact that there was anybody present inthe court, except the learned Judge and himself. Going back to thebeginning, he detailed the early history of the relationship betweenEustace Meeson and his uncle, the publisher, with which this record hasnothing to do. Thence he passed to the history of Augusta's relation withthe firm of Meeson and Co. , which, as nearly everybody in the court, notexcepting the Judge, had read "Jemima's Vow, " was very interesting to hisauditors. Then he went on to the scene between Augusta and the publisher, and detailed how Eustace had interfered, which interference had led to aviolent quarrel, resulting in the young man's disinheritance. Passing on, he detailed how the publisher and the published had taken passage in thesame vessel, and the tragic occurrences which followed down to Augusta'sfinal rescue and arrival in England, and finally ended his spiritedopening by appealing to the Court not to allow its mind to be influencedby the fact that since these events the two chief actors had becomeengaged to be married, which struck him, he said, as a very fittingclimax to so romantic a story. 

At last he ceased, and amidst a little buzz of applause, for the speechhad really been a very fine one, sat down. As he did so he glanced at theclock. He had been on his legs for nearly two hours, and yet it seemed tohim but a very little while. In another moment he was up again and hadcalled his first witness--Eustace Meeson. 

Eustace's evidence was of a rather formal order, and was necessarilylimited to an account of the relations between his uncle and himself, andbetween himself and Augusta. Such as it was, however, he gave it verywell, and with a complete openness that appeared to produce a favorableimpression on the Court. 

Then Fiddlestick, Q. C. , rose to cross-examine, devoting his efforts totrying to make Eustace admit that his behaviour had been of a nature toamply justify his uncle's behaviour. But there was not very much to bemade out of it. Eustace detailed all that had passed freely enough, andit simply amounted to the fact that there had been angry words betweenthe two as regards the treatment that Augusta had met with at the handsof the firm. In short, Fiddlestick could not do anything with him, and, after ten minutes of it, sat down without having advanced the case to anyappreciable extent. Then several of the other counsel asked a question ortwo apiece, after which Eustace was told to stand down, and LadyHolmhurst was called. Lady Holmhurst's evidence was very short, merelyamounting to the fact that she had seen Augusta's shoulders on board theKangaroo, and that there was not then a sign of tattoo marks upon them, and when she saw them again in London they were tattooed. No attempt wasmade to cross-examine her, and on the termination of her evidence, theCourt adjourned for lunch. When it reassembled James Short calledAugusta, and a murmur of expectation arose from the densely crowdedaudience, as--feeling very sick at heart, and looking more beautiful thanever--she stepped towards the box. 

As she did so the Attorney-General rose. 

"I must object, my Lord, " he said, "on behalf of the defendants, to thiswitness being allowed to enter the box. "

"Upon what grounds, Mr. Attorney?" said his Lordship. 

"Upon the ground that her mouth is, _ipso facto_, closed. If we are tobelieve the plaintiff's story, this young lady is herself the will ofJonathan Meeson, and, being so, is certainly, I submit, not competent togive evidence. There is no precedent for a document giving evidence, andI presume that the witness must be looked upon as a document. "

"But, Mr. Attorney, " said the Judge, "a document is evidence, andevidence of the best sort. "

"Undoubtedly, my Lord; and we have no objection to the document beingexhibited for the court to draw its own conclusion from, but we deny thatit is entitled to speak in its own explanation. A document is a thingwhich speaks by its written characters. It cannot take to itself atongue, and speak by word of mouth also; and, in support of this, I maycall your Lordship's attention to the general principles of law governingthe interpretation of written documents. "

"I am quite aware of those principles, Mr. Attorney, and I cannot seethat they touch this question. "

"As your Lordship pleases. Then I will fall back upon my main contention, that Miss Smithers is, for the purposes of this case, a document andnothing but a document, and has no more right to open her mouth insupport of the plaintiff's case, than would any paper will, if it couldbe miraculously endowed with speech. "

"Well, " said the Judge, "it certainly strikes me as a novel point. Whathave you to say to it, Mr. Short?"

All eyes were now turned upon James, for it was felt that if the pointwas decided against him the case was lost. 

"The point to which I wish you to address yourself, Mr. Short, " went onthe learned Judge, "is--Is the personality of Miss Smithers so totallylost and merged in what, for want of a better term I must call herdocumentary capacity, as to take away from her the right to appear beforethis Court like any other sane human being, and give evidence of eventsconnected with its execution?"

"If your Lordship pleases, " said James, "I maintain that this is not so. I maintain that the document remains the document; and that for allpurposes, including the giving of evidence concerning its execution, MissSmithers still remains Miss Smithers. It would surely be absurd to arguethat because a person has a deed executed upon her she was, _ipso facto_, incapacitated from giving evidence concerning it, on the mere ground thatshe was _it_. Further, such a decision would be contrary to equity andgood policy, for persons could not so lightly be deprived of theirnatural rights. Also, in this case, the plaintiff's action would beabsolutely put an end to by any such decision, seeing that the signatureof Jonathan Meeson and the attesting witnesses to the will could not, ofcourse, be recognised in their tattooed form, and there is no otherliving person who could depose under what circumstances the signaturecame to be there. I submit that the objection should be overruled. "

"This, " said his Lordship, in giving his decision "is a very curiouspoint, and one which, when first raised by the learned Attorney-General, struck me with some force; but, on considering it and hearing Mr. Short, I am convinced that it is an objection that cannot be supported" (hereEustace gave a sigh of relief). "It is argued on the part of thedefendant that Miss Smithers is, for the purposes of this case adocument, a document, and nothing but a document, and as such that hermouth is shut. Now, I think that the learned Attorney-General cannot havethought this matter out when he came to that conclusion. What are thecircumstances? A will is supposed to have been tattooed upon this lady'sskin; but is the skin the whole person? Does not the intelligence remain, and the individuality? I think that I can put what I mean more clearly bymeans of an illustration. Let us suppose that I were to uphold thedefendant's objection, and that, as a consequence, the plaintiff's casewere to break down. Then let us suppose that the plaintiff had persuadedthe witness to be partially skinned"--(here Augusta nearly jumped from herseat)--"and that she, having survived the operation, was again tenderedto the court as a witness, would the Court then be able, under anypossibility, to refuse to accept her evidence? The document, in the formof human parchment, would then be in the hands of the officers of theCourt, and the person from whom the parchment had been removed, wouldalso be before the Court. Could it be still maintained that the two wereso identical and inseparable that the disabilities attaching to adocument must necessarily attach to the person? In my opinion, certainlynot. Or, to take another case, let us suppose that the will had beentattooed upon the leg of a person, and, under similar circumstances, theleg were cut off and produced before the Court, either in a flesh or amummified condition; could it then be seriously advanced that because theinscribed leg--standing on the table before the Court--had once belongedto the witness sitting in the witness-box, therefore it was not competentfor the witness to give evidence on account of his or her documentaryattributes? Certainly it could not. Therefore, it seems to me that thatwhich is separable must, for the purpose of law, be taken as alreadyseparated, and that the will on the back of this witness must be lookedupon as though it were in the hands at this moment, of the officers ofthe Court, and consequently I overrule the objection. "

"Will your Lordship take a note of your Lordship's decision?" asked theAttorney-General in view of an appeal. 

"Certainly, Mr. Attorney. Let this witness be sworn. "

CHAPTER XXI. 

GRANT AS PRAYED. 

Accordingly, Augusta was sworn, and Eustace observed that when sheremoved her veil to kiss the Book the sight of her sweet face produced nosmall effect upon the crowded court. 

Then James began his examination in chief, and, following the lines whichhe had laid down in his opening speech, led her slowly, whilst allowingher to tell her own story as much as possible, to the time of thetattooing of the will on Kerguelen Land. All along, the history hadevidently interested everybody in the court--not excepting theJudge--intensely; but now the excitement rose to boiling point. 

"Well, " said James, "tell his Lordship exactly how it came to pass thatthe will of Mr. Meeson was tattooed upon your shoulders. "

In quiet but dramatic language Augusta accordingly narrated every detail, from the time when Meeson confided to her his remorse at havingdisinherited his nephew up to the execution of the will at her suggestionby the sailor upon her own shoulders. 

"And now, Miss Smithers, " said James, when she had done, "I am verysorry to have to do so; but I must ask you to exhibit the document tothe Court. "

Poor Augusta coloured and her eyes filled with tears, as she slowly undidthe dust-cloak which hid her shoulders (for, of course, she had come inlow dress). The Judge, looking up sharply, observed her natural distress. 

"If you prefer it, Miss Smithers, " said his Lordship, courteously, "Iwill order the court to be cleared of every-one except those who areactually engaged in the case. "

At these ominous words a shudder of disgust passed through thedensely-packed ranks. It would indeed, they felt, after all theirstriving, be hard if they were deprived of the sight of the will; andthey stared at her despairingly, to see what she would answer. 

"I thank your Lordship, " she said, with a little bow; "but there wouldstill be so many left that I do not think that it would greatly matter. Ihope that everybody will understand my position, and extend theirconsideration to me. "

"Very well, " said the Judge, and without further ado she took off thecloak, and the silk handkerchief beneath it, and stood before the courtdressed in a low black dress. 

"I am afraid that I must ask you to come up here, " said his Lordship. Accordingly she walked round, mounted the bench, and then turned herback to the Judge, in order that he might examine what was written onit. This he did very carefully with the aid of a magnifying glass, referring now and again to the photographic copy which Doctor Probatehad filed in the Registry. 

"Thank you, " he said presently, "that will do. I am afraid that thelearned counsel below will wish to have an opportunity of inspection. "

So Augusta had to descend and slowly walk along the ranks, stoppingbefore every learned leader to be carefully examined, while hundreds ofeager eyes in the background were fixed upon her unfortunate neck. However, at last it came to an end. 

"That will do, Miss Smithers, " said the Judge, for whose considerationshe felt deeply grateful; "you can put on your cloak again now. "Accordingly she did so and re-entered the box. 

"The document which you have just shown the Court, Miss Smithers, " saidJames, "is the one which was executed upon you in Kerguelen Land on orabout the 22nd day of December last year?"

"It is. "

"It was, I understand, executed in the presence of the testator and thetwo attesting witnesses, all three being present together, and thesignature of each being tattooed in the presence of the other?"

"It was. "

"Was the testator, so far as you could judge, at the time of thedictation and execution of the will, of sound mind, memory, andunderstanding?"

"Most certainly he was. "

"Did you, beyond the suggestions of which you have already givenevidence, in any way unduly influence the testator's mind, so as toinduce him to make this will?"

"I did not. "

"And to those facts you swear?"

"I do. "

Then he passed on to the history of the death of the two sailors who hadattested the will, and to the account of Augusta's ultimate rescue, finally closing his examination-in-chief just as the clock struck four, whereon the Court adjourned till the following day. 

As may be imagined, though things had gone fairly well so far, nobodyconcerned of our party passed an over-comfortable night. The strain wastoo great to admit of it; and really they were all glad to findthemselves in the court--which was, if possible, even more crowded on thefollowing morning--filled with the hope that that day might see thematter decided one way or the other. 

As soon as the Judge had come in, Augusta resumed her place in thewitness-box, and the Attorney-General rose to cross-examine her. 

"You told the Court, Miss Smithers, at the conclusion of your evidence, that you are now engaged to be married to Mr. Meeson, the plaintiff. Now, I am sorry to have to put a personal question to you, but I mustask you--Were you at the time of the tattooing of the will, in love withMr. Meeson?"

This was a home-thrust, and poor Augusta coloured up beneath it; however, her native wit came to her aid. 

"If you will define, Sir, what being in love is, I will do my best toanswer your question, " she said. Whereat the audience, including hisLordship, smiled. 

The Attorney-General looked puzzled, as well he might; for there are somethings which are beyond the learning of even an Attorney-General. 

"Well, " he said, "were you matrimonially inclined towards Mr. Meeson?"

"Surely, Mr. Attorney-General, " said the Judge, "the one thing does notnecessarily include the other?"

"I bow to your Lordship's experience, " said Mr. Attorney, tartly. "Perhaps I had better put my question in this way--Had you, at any time, any prospect of becoming engaged to Mr. Meeson?"

"None whatever. "

"Did you submit to this tattooing, which must have been painful, with aview of becoming engaged to the plaintiff?"

"Certainly not. I may point out, " she added, with hesitation, "that sucha disfigurement is not likely to add to anybody's attractions. "

"Please answer my questions, Miss Smithers, and do not comment on them. How did you come, then, to submit yourself to such a disagreeableoperation?"

"I submitted to it because I thought it right to do so, there being noother apparent means at hand of attaining the late Mr. Meeson's end. Also"--and she paused. 

"Also what?"

"Also I had a regard for Mr. Eustace Meeson, and I knew that he had losthis inheritance through a quarrel about myself. "

"Ah! now we are coming to it. Then you were tattooed out of regard forthe plaintiff, and not purely in the interests of justice?"

"Yes; I suppose so. "

"Well, Mr. Attorney, " interposed the Judge, "and what if she was?"

"My object, my Lord, was to show that this young lady was not the purelyimpassive medium in this matter that my learned friend, Mr. Short, wouldlead the Court to believe. She was acting from motive. "

"Most people do, " said the Judge drily. "But it does not follow that themotive was an improper one. "

Then the learned gentleman continued his cross-examination, directing allthe ingenuity of his practised mind to trying to prove by Augusta'sadmissions, first, that the testator was acting under the undueinfluence of herself; and secondly, that when the will was executed hewas _non compos mentis_. To this end he dwelt at great length on everydetail of the events between the tattooing of the will and the death ofthe testator on the following day, making as much as was possible out ofthe fact that he died in a fit of mania. But do what he would, he couldnot shake her evidence upon any material point, and when at last he satdown James Short felt that his case had not received any serious blow. 

Then a few more questions having been asked in cross-examination byvarious other counsel, James rose to re-examine, and, with the object ofrebutting the presumption of the testator's mental unsoundness, madeAugusta repeat all the details of the confession that the late publisherhad made to her as regards his methods of trading. It was beautiful tosee the fury and horror portrayed upon the countenance of the cholericMr. Addison and the cadaverous Mr. Roscoe, when they saw the mostcherished secrets of the customs of the trade, as practised at Meeson's, thus paraded in the open light of day, while a dozen swift-pencilledreporters took every detail down. 

Then at last Augusta was told to stand down, which she did thankfullyenough, and Mrs. Thomas, the wife of Captain Thomas, was called. Sheproved the finding of Augusta on the island, and that she had seenthe hat of one of the sailors, and the rum-cask two-thirds empty, andalso produced the shell out of which the men had drunk the rum (whichshell the Judge had called Augusta to identify). What was mostimportant, however, was that she gave the most distinct evidence thatshe had herself seen the late Mr. Meeson interred, and identifiedthe body as that of the late publisher by picking out his photographfrom among a bundle of a dozen that were handed to her. Also sheswore that when Augusta came aboard the whaler the tattoo marks onher back were not healed. 

No cross-examination of the witness worth the name having been attempted, James called a clerk from the office of the late owners of the R. M. S. Kangaroo, who produced the roll of the ship, on which the names of thetwo sailors, Johnnie Butt and Bill Jones, duly appeared. 

This closed the plaintiff's case, and the Attorney-General at onceproceeded to call his witnesses, reserving his remarks till theconclusion of the evidence. He had only two witnesses, Mr. Todd, thelawyer who drew and attested the will of Nov. 10, and his clerk, who alsoattested it, and their examination did not take long. Incross-examination, however, both these witnesses admitted that thetestator was in a great state of passion when he executed the will, andgave details of the lively scene that then occurred. 

Then the Attorney-General rose to address the Court for the defendants. He said there were two questions before the Court, reserving, for thepresent, the question as to the admissibility of the evidence of AugustaSmithers; and those were--first, did the tattoo marks upon the lady'sneck constitute a will at all? and secondly, supposing that they did, wasit proved to the satisfaction of the Court that these undated marks wereduly executed by a sane and uninfluenced man, in the presence of thewitnesses, as required by the statute. He maintained, in the first place, that these marks were no will within the meaning of the statute; but, feeling that he was not on very sound ground on this point, quicklypassed on to the other aspects of the case. With much force and abilityhe dwelt upon the strangeness of the whole story, and how it restedsolely upon the evidence of one witness, Augusta Smithers. It was only ifthe Court accepted her evidence as it stood that it could come to theconclusion that the will was executed at all, or, indeed, that the twoattesting witnesses were on the island at all. Considering the relationswhich existed between this witness and the plaintiff, was the Courtprepared to accept her evidence in this unreserved way? Was it preparedto decide that this will, in favour of a man with whom the testator hadviolently quarrelled, and had disinherited in consequence of thatquarrel, was not, if indeed it was executed at all, extorted by this ladyfrom a weak and dying, and possibly a deranged, man? and with thisquestion the learned gentleman sat down. 

He was followed briefly by the Solicitor-General and Mr. Fiddlestick; butthough they talked fluently enough, addressing themselves to variousminor points, they had nothing fresh of interest to adduce, andfinishing at half-past three, James rose to reply on the whole case onbehalf of the plaintiff. 

There was a moment's pause while he was arranging his notes, and then, just as he was about to begin, the Judge said quietly, "Thank you, Mr. Short, I do not think that I need trouble you, " and James sat down with agasp, for he knew that the cause was won. 

Then his Lordship began, and, after giving a masterly summary of thewhole case, concluded as follows:--"Such are the details of the mostremarkable probate cause that I ever remember to have had brought to mynotice, either during my career at the Bar or on the Bench. It will beobvious, as the learned Attorney-General has said, that the whole casereally lies between two points. Is the document on the back of AugustaSmithers a sufficient will to carry the property? and, if so, is theunsupported story of that lady as to the execution of the document to bebelieved? Now, what does the law understand by the term 'Will'? Surely itunderstands some writing that expresses the wish or will of a person asto the disposition of his property after his decease? This writing mustbe executed with certain formalities; but if it is so executed by aperson not labouring under any mental or other disability it isindefeasible, except by the subsequent execution of a fresh testamentarydocument, or by its destruction or attempted destruction, _animorevocandi_, or by marriage. Subject to these formalities required by thelaw, the form of the document--provided that its meaning is clear--isimmaterial. Now, do the tattoo marks on the back of this lady constitutesuch a document, and do they convey the true last will or wish of thetestator? That is the first point that I have to decide, and I decide itin the affirmative. It is true that it is not usual for testamentarydocuments to be tattooed upon the skin of a human being; but, because itis not usual, it does not follow that a tattooed document is not a validone. The ninth section of the Statute of 1 Vic. , cap. 26, specifies thatno will shall be valid unless it shall be in writing; but cannot thistattooing be considered as writing within the meaning of the Act? I amclearly of opinion that it can, if only on the ground that the materialused was ink--a natural ink, it is true, that of the cuttle-fish, butstill ink; for I may remark that the natural product of the cuttle-fishwas at one time largely used in this country for that very purpose. Further, in reference to this part of the case, it must be borne in mindthat the testator was no eccentric being, who from whim or perversitychose this extraordinary method of signifying his wishes as to thedisposal of his property. He was a man placed in about as terrible aposition as it is possible to conceive. He was, if we are to believe thestory of Miss Smithers, most sincerely anxious to revoke a disposition ofhis property which he now, standing face to face with the greatest issueof this life, recognised to be unjust, and which was certainly contraryto the promptings of nature as experienced by most men. And yet in thisterrible strait in which he found himself, and notwithstanding theearnest desire which grew more intense as his vital forces ebbed, hecould find absolutely no means of carrying out his wish. At length, however, this plan of tattooing his will upon the living flesh on ayounger and stronger person is presented to him, and he eagerly availshimself of it; and the tattooing is duly carried out in his presence andat his desire, and as duly signed and witnessed. Can it be seriouslyargued that a document so executed does not fulfil the bare requirementsof the law? I think that it cannot, and am of opinion that such adocument is as much a valid will as though it had been engrossed upon theskin of a sheep, and duly signed and witnessed in the Temple. 

"And now I will come to the second point. Is the evidence of MissSmithers to be believed? First, let us see where it is corroborated. Itis clear, from the testimony of Lady Holmhurst, that when on board theill-fated Kangaroo, Miss Smithers had no tattoo marks upon hershoulders. It is equally clear from the unshaken testimony of Mrs. Thomas, that when she was rescued by the American whaler, her back wasmarked with tattooing, then in the healing stage--with tattooing whichcould not possibly have been inflicted by herself or by the child, whowas her sole living companion. It is also proved that there was seen uponthe island by Mrs. Thomas the dead body of a man, which she was informedwas that of Mr. Meeson, and which she here in court identified by meansof a photograph. Also, this same witness produced a shell which shepicked up in one of the huts, said to be the shell used by the sailors todrink the rum that led to their destruction; and she swore that she saw asailor's hat lying on the shore. Now, all this is corroborative evidence, and of a sort not to be despised. Indeed, as to one point, that of theapproximate date of the execution of the tattooing, it is to my mindfinal. Still, there does remain an enormous amount that must be acceptedor not, according as to whether or no credence can be placed in theunsupported testimony of Miss Smithers, for we cannot call on a child soyoung as the present Lord Holmhurst, to bear witness in a Court ofJustice. If Miss Smithers, for instance, is not speaking the truth whenshe declares that the signature of the testator was tattooed upon herunder his immediate direction, or that it was tattooed in the presence ofthe two sailors, Butt and Jones, whose signatures were also tattooed inthe presence of the testator and of each other--no will at all wasexecuted, and the plaintiff's case collapses, utterly, since, from thevery nature of the facts, evidence as to handwriting would, of course, beuseless. Now, I approach the decision of this point after anxiousthought and some hesitation. It is not a light thing to set aside aformally executed document such as the will of Nov. 10, upon which thedefendants rely, and to entirely alter the devolution of a vast amount ofproperty upon the unsupported testimony of a single witness. It seems tome, however, that there are two tests which the Court can more or lessset up as standards, wherewith to measure the truth of the matter. Thefirst of these is the accepted probability of the action of an individualunder any given set of circumstances, as drawn from our common knowledgeof human nature; and the second, the behaviour and tone of the witness, both in the box and in the course of circumstances that led to herappearance there. I will take the last of those two first, and I may aswell state, without further delay, that I am convinced of the truth ofthe story told by Miss Smithers. It would to my mind be impossible forany man, whose intelligence had been trained by years of experience inthis and other courts, and whose daily duty it is to discriminate as tothe credibility of testimony, to disbelieve the history socircumstantially detailed in the box by Miss Smithers (Sensation). Iwatched her demeanour both under examination and cross-examination veryclosely indeed, and I am convinced that she was telling the absolutetruth so far as she knew it. 

"And now to come to the second point. It has been suggested, as throwingdoubt upon Miss Smithers' story, that the existence of an engagement tomarry, between her and the plaintiff, may have prompted her to concoct amonstrous fraud for his benefit; and this is suggested although at thetime of the execution of the tattooing no such engagement did, as amatter of fact, exist, or was within measurable distance of the parties. It did not exist, said the Attorney-General; but the disposing mindexisted: in other words, that she was then 'in love'--if, notwithstandingMr. Attorney's difficulty in defining it, I may use the term with theplaintiff. This may or may not have been the case. There are some thingswhich it is quite beyond the power of any Judge or Jury to decide, andone of them certainly is--at what exact period of her acquaintance with afuture husband a young lady's regard turns into a warmer feeling? Butsupposing that the Attorney-General is right, and that although she atthat moment clearly had no prospect of marrying him, since she had leftEngland to seek her fortune at the Antipodes, the plaintiff was lookedupon by this lady with that kind of regard which is supposed to precedethe matrimonial contract, the circumstance, in my mind, tells rather inhis favour than against him. For in passing I may remark that this younglady has done a thing which is, in its way, little short of heroic; themore so because it has a ludicrous side. She has submitted to anoperation which must not only have been painful, but which is and alwayswill be a blot upon her beauty. I am inclined to agree with theAttorney-General when he says that she did not make the sacrifice withouta motive, which may have sprung from a keen sense of justice, and ofgratitude to the plaintiff for his interference on her behalf, or from awarmer feeling. In either case there is nothing discreditable aboutit--rather the reverse, in fact; and, taken by itself, there is certainlynothing here to cause me to disbelieve the evidence of Miss Smithers. 

"One question only seems to me to remain. Is there anything to show thatthe testator was not, at the time of the execution of the will, of asound and disposing mind? and is there anything in his conduct or historyto render the hypothesis of his having executed his will so improbablethat the Court should take the improbability into account? As to thefirst point, I can find nothing. Miss Smithers expressly swore that itwas not the case; nor was her statement shaken by a very searchingcross-examination. She admitted, indeed, that shortly before death hewandered in his mind, and thought that he was surrounded by the shades ofauthors waiting to be revenged upon him. But it is no uncommon thing forthe mind thus to fail at the last, and it is not extraordinary that thisdying man should conjure before his brain the shapes of those with someof whom he appears to have dealt harshly during his life. Nor do Iconsider it in any way impossible that when he felt his end approachinghe should have wished to reverse the sentence of his anger, and restorehis nephew, whose only offence had been a somewhat indiscreet use of thelanguage of truth, the inheritance to vast wealth of which he haddeprived him. Such a course strikes me as being a most natural and properone, and perfectly in accordance with the first principles of humannature. The whole tale is undoubtedly of a wild and romantic order, andonce again illustrates the saying that 'truth is stranger than fiction. 'But I have no choice but to accept the fact that the deceased did, bymeans of tattooing, carried out by his order, legally execute his truelast will in favour of his next-of-kin, Eustace H. Meeson, upon theshoulders of Augusta Smithers, on or about the 22nd day of December, 1885. This being so, I pronounce for the will propounded by theplaintiff, and there will be a grant as prayed. "

"With costs, my Lord?" asked James, rising. 

"No, I am not inclined to go that length. This litigation has arisenthrough the testator's own act, and the estate must bear the burden. "

"If your Lordship pleases, " said James, and sat down. 

"Mr. Short, " said the Judge, clearing his throat, "I do not often speakin such a sense, but I do feel called upon to compliment you upon the wayin which you have, single-handed, conducted this case--in some ways oneof the strangest and most important that has ever come before me--havingfor your opponents so formidable an array of learned gentlemen. Theperformance would have been creditable to anybody of greater experienceand longer years; as it is, I believe it to be unprecedented. "

James turned colour, bowed, and sat down, knowing that he was a made man, and that it would be his own fault if his future career at the Bar wasnot now one of almost unexampled prosperity. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

ST. GEORGE'S, HANOVER-SQUARE. 

The Court broke up in confusion, and Augusta, now that the strain wasover, noticed with amusement that the dark array of learned counsel whohad been fighting with all their strength to win the case of theirclients did not seem to be particularly distressed at the reverse thatthey had suffered, but chatted away gaily as they tied up their paperswith scraps of red tape. She did not, perhaps, quite realize that, having done their best and earned their little fees, they did not feelcalled on to be heart-broken because the Court declined to take the viewthey were paid to support. But it was a very different matter withMessrs. Addison and Roscoe, who had just seen two millions of money slipfrom their avaricious grasp. They were rich men already; but that factdid not gild the pill, for the possession of money does not detract fromthe desire for the acquisition of more. Mr. Addison was purple with fury, and Mr. Roscoe hid his saturnine face in his hands and groaned. Just thenthe Attorney-General rose, and seeing James Short coming forward to speakto his clients, stopped him, and shook hands with him warmly. 

"Let me congratulate you, my dear fellow, " he said. "I never saw a casebetter done. It was a perfect pleasure to me, and I am very glad that theJudge thought fit to compliment you--a most unusual thing, by-the-way. Ican only say that I hope that I may have the pleasure of having you as myjunior sometimes in the future. By-the-way, if you have no otherengagement I wish that you would call round at my chambers to-morrowabout twelve. "

Mr. Addison, who was close by, overheard this little speech, and a newlight broke upon him. With a bound he plunged between James and theAttorney-General. 

"I see what it is now, " he said, in a voice shaking with wrath, "I'vebeen sold! I am a victim to collusion. You've had five hundred of mymoney, confound you!" he shouted, almost shaking his fist in the face ofhis learned and dignified adviser; "and now you are congratulating thisman!" and he pointed his finger at James. "You've been bribed to betrayme, Sir. You are a rascal! yes, a rascal!"

At this point the learned Attorney-General, forgetting his learning andthe exceeding augustness of his position, actually reverted to thosefirst principles of human nature of which the Judge had spoken, anddoubled his fist. Indeed, had not Mr. News, utterly aghast at such asight, rushed up and dragged his infuriated client back, there is noknowing what scandalous thing might not have happened. 

But somehow he was got rid of, and everybody melted away, leaving theushers to go round and collect the blotting-paper and pens which strewedthe empty court. 

"And now, good people, " said Lady Holmhurst, "I think that the best thingthat we can do is all to go home and rest before dinner. I ordered it atseven, and it is half-past five. I hope that you will come, too, Mr. Short, and bring your brother with you; for I am sure that you, both ofyou, deserve your dinner, if ever anybody did. "

And so they all went, and a very jolly dinner they had, as well theymight. At last, however, it came to an end, and the legal twins departed, beaming like stars with happiness and champagne. And then Lady Holmhurstdeparted also, and left Eustace and Augusta alone. 

"Life is a queer thing, " said Eustace; "here this morning I was apublisher's reader at £180 a year; and now, to-night, if this verdictholds, it seems that I am one of the wealthiest men in England. "

"Yes, dear, " said Augusta, "and with all the world at your feet, for lifeis full of opportunities to the rich. You have a great future before you, Eustace; I really am ashamed to marry so rich a man. "

"My darling, " he said, putting his arm round her; "whatever I have I oweto you. Do you know there is only one thing that I fear about all thismoney, if it really comes to us; and that is that you will be so taken upwith what pleasure-seeking people call social duties, and thedistribution of it, that you will give up your writing. So many women arelike that. Whatever ability they have seems to vanish utterly away upontheir wedding-day. They say afterwards that they have no time, but Ioften think it is because they do not choose to make time. "

"Yes, " answered Augusta; "but then that is because they do not reallylove their work, whatever it may be. Those who really love their art asI love mine, with heart and soul and strength, will not be so easilychecked. Of course, distractions and cares come with marriage; but, onthe other hand, if one marries happily, there comes quiet of mind andcessation from that ceaseless restlessness that is so fatal to goodwork. You need not fear, Eustace; if I can, I will show the world thatyou have not married a dullard; and if I can't--why, my dear, it will bebecause I am one. "

"That comes very nicely from the author of 'Jemima's Vow, '" said Eustace, with sarcasm. "Really, my dear, what between your fame as a writer and asthe heroine of the shipwreck and of the great will case, I think that Ihad better take a back seat at once, for I shall certainly be known asthe husband of the beautiful and gifted Mrs. Meeson"--

"Oh! no, " answered Augusta; "don't be afraid, nobody would dream ofspeaking slightingly of the owner of two millions of money. "

"Well; never mind chaffing about the money, " said Eustace; "we haven'tgot it yet, for one thing. I have got something to ask you. "

"I must be going to bed, " said Augusta, firmly. 

"No--nonsense!" said Eustace. "You are not going, " and he caught herby the arm. 

"Unhand me, Sir!" said Augusta, with majesty. "Now what do you want, yousilly boy?"

"I want to know if you will marry me next week?"

"Next week? Good gracious! No, " said Augusta. "Why I have not got mythings, and, for the matter of that, I am sure I don't know where themoney is coming from to pay for them with. "

"Things!" said Eustace, with fine contempt. "You managed to live onKerguelen Land without things, so I don't see why you can't get marriedwithout them--though, for the matter of that, I will get anything youwant in six hours. I never did hear such bosh as women talk about'things. ' Listen, dear. For Heaven's sake let's get married and have alittle quiet! I can assure you that if you don't, your life won't beworth having after this. You will be hunted like a wild thing, andinterviewed, and painted, and worried to death; whereas, if you getmarried--well, it will be better for us in a quiet way, you know. "

"Well, there is something in that, " said Augusta. "But supposing thatthere should be an appeal, and the decision should be reversed, whatwould happen then?"

"Well, then we should have to work for our living--that's all. I have gotmy billet, and you could write for the press until your five years'agreement with Meeson and Co. Has run out. I would put you in the way ofthat. I see lots of writing people at my shop. "

"Well, " said Augusta, "I will speak to Bessie about it. "

"Oh, of course, Lady Holmhurst will say no, " said Eustace, gloomily. "Shewill think about the 'things'; and, besides, she won't want to lose youbefore she is obliged. "

"That is all that I can do for you, Sir, " said Augusta, with decision. "There--come--that's enough! Good-night. " And breaking away from him, shemade a pretty little curtsey and vanished. 

"Now, I wonder what she means to do, " meditated Eustace, as the butlerbrought him his hat. "I really should not wonder if she came round to it. But then, one never knows how a woman will take a thing. If she will, shewill, etc. , etc. "

 * * * * *

And now, it may strike the reader as very strange, but, as a matter offact, ten days from the date of the above conversation, there was asmall-and-early gathering at St. George's, Hanover-square, close by. Isay "small, " for the marriage had been kept quite secret, in order toprevent curiosity-mongers from marching down upon it in their thousands, as they would certainly have done had it been announced that the heroineof the great will case was going to be married. Therefore the party wasvery select. Augusta had no relations of her own; and so she had askedDr. Probate, with whom she had struck up a great friendship, to come andgive her away; and, though the old gentleman's previous career had hadmore connection with the undoing of the nuptial tie than with itscontraction, he could not find it in his heart to refuse. 

"I shall be neglecting my duties, you know, my dear young lady, " he said, shaking his head. "It's very wrong--very wrong, for I ought to be at theRegistry; but--well, perhaps I can manage to come--very wrong, though--very wrong, and quite out of my line of business! I expect that Ishall begin to address the Court--I mean the clergyman--for thepetitioner. "

And so it came to pass that on this auspicious day the registering wasleft to look after itself; and, as a matter of history, it may be statedthat no question was asked in Parliament about it. 

Then there was Lady Holmhurst, looking very pretty in her widow's dress;and her boy Dick, who was in the highest spirits, and bursting withhealth and wonder at these strange proceedings on the part of his"Auntie"; and, of course, the legal twins brought up the rear. 

And there in the vestry stood Augusta in her bridal dress, as sweet awoman as ever the sun shone on; and looking at her beautiful face, Dr. Probate nearly fell in love with her himself. And yet it was a sad facejust then. She was happy--very, as a loving woman who is about to be madea wife should be; but when a great joy draws near to us it comescompanioned by the shadows of our old griefs. 

The highest sort of happiness has a peculiar faculty of recalling to ourminds that which has troubled them in the past, the truth being, thatextremes in this, as in other matters, will sometimes touch, which wouldseem to suggest that sorrow and happiness--however varied in theirbloom--yet have a common root. Thus it was with Augusta now. As shestood in the vestry there came to her mind a recollection of her dearlittle sister, and of how she had prophesied happy greatness and successfor her. Now the happiness and the success were at hand, and there in theaisle stood her own true love; but yet the recollection of that dearface, and of the little mound that covered it, rested on them like ashadow. It passed with a sigh, and in its place there came the memory ofpoor Mr. Tombey, but for whom she would not have been standing there abride, and of his last words as he put her into the boat. He was food forfishes now, poor fellow, and she was left alone with a great and happycareer opening out before her--a career in which her talents would havefree space to work. And yet how odd to think it: two or three score ofyears and it would all be one, and she would be as Mr. Tombey was. PoorMr. Tombey! perhaps it was as well that he was not there to see herhappiness; and let us hope that wherever it is we go after the last eventwe lose sight of the world and those we knew therein. Otherwise theremust be more hearts broken in heaven above than in earth beneath. 

"Now, then, Miss Smithers, " broke in Dr. Probate, "for the very lasttime--nobody will call you that again, you know--take my arm; hisLordship--I mean the parson--is there. "

 * * * * *

It was done, and they were man and wife. Well, even the happiest marriageis always a good thing to get over. It was not a long drive back toHanover-square, and the very first sight that greeted them on theirarrival was the infant from the City (John's), accompanied by hisbrother, the infant from Pump-court (James'), who had, presumably come toshow him the way, or more probably because he thought that there would beeatables going--holding in his hand a legal-looking letter. 

"Marked '_immediate_, ' Sir; so I thought that I had better serve it atonce, " said the first infant, handing the letter to John. 

"What is it?" asked Eustace, nervously. He had grown to hate the sight ofa lawyer's letter with a deadly hate. 

"Notice of appeal, I expect, " said John. 

"Open it, man!" said Eustace, "and let's get it over. "

Accordingly, John did so, and read as follows:--

"MEESON V. ADDISON AND ANOTHER

"Dear Sir, --After consultation with our clients, Messrs. Addison andRoscoe, we are enabled to make you the following offer. If no account isrequired of the mesne profits"--

"That's a wrong term, " said James, irritably. "Mesne profits refer toprofits derived from real estate. Just like a solicitor to make sucha blunder. "

"The term is perfectly appropriate, " replied his twin, with warmth. "There was some real estate, and, therefore, the term can properly beapplied to the whole of the income. "

"For Heaven's sake, don't argue but get on!" said Eustace. "Don't you seethat I am on tenterhooks?"

"--my clients, " continued John, "are ready to undertake that no appealshall be presented to the recent case of Meeson v. Addison and Another. If, however, the plaintiff insists upon an account, the usual steps willbe taken to bring the matter before a higher court. --Obediently, yours, "NEWS AND NEWS. John Short, Esq. 

"P. S. --An immediate reply will oblige. "

"Well, Meeson, what do you say to that?" said John; "but I beg yourpardon, I forgot; perhaps you would like to take counsel's advice, " andhe pointed to James, who was rubbing his bald bead indignantly. 

"Oh, no, I should not, " answered Eustace; "I've quite made up my mind. Let them stick to their mesne" (here James made a face); "Well, then, totheir middle or intermediate or their anything else profits. No appealsfor me, if I can avoid it. Send News a telegram. "

"That, " began James, in his most solemn and legal tones, "is a view ofthe matter in which I am glad to be able to heartily coincide, although it seems to me that there are several points, which I willtouch on one by one. "

"Good gracious! no, " broke in Lady Holmhurst; "but I think it is rather_mean_ of them, don't you, Mr. Short?"

James looked puzzled. "I do not quite take Lady Holmhurst's point, " hesaid plaintively. 

"Then you must be stupid, " said Eustace, "Don't you see thejoke?--'_mesne_ profits, ' _mean_ of them?"

"Ah, " said James, with satisfaction; "I perceive. Lady Holmhurst does notseem to be aware that although 'mesne'--a totally erroneous word--ispronounced 'mean, ' it is spelt m-e-s-n-e. "

"I stand corrected, " said Lady Holmhurst, with a little curtsey. "Ithought that Mr. James Short would take my ignorance into account, andunderstand what I _mean_!"

This atrocious pun turned the laugh against the learned James, and then, the telegram to News and News having been dispatched, they all went in tothe wedding breakfast. 

In a general way, wedding breakfasts are not particularly lively affairs. There is a mock hilarity about them that does not tend to truecheerfulness, and those of the guests who are not occupied with graverthoughts are probably thinking of the dyspepsia that comes after. Butthis particular breakfast was an exception. For the first time since herhusband's unfortunate death, Lady Holmhurst seemed to have entirelyrecovered her spirits and was her old self, and a very charming self itwas, so charming, indeed, that even James forgot his learning and theresponsibilities of his noble profession and talked, like an ordinaryChristian. Indeed, he even went so far as to pay her an elephantinecompliment; but as it was three sentences long, and divided into points, it shall not be repeated here. 

And then, at length, Dr. Probate rose to propose the bride's health; andvery nicely he did it, as might have been expected from a man with hisextraordinary familiarity with matrimonial affairs. His speech was quitecharming, and aptly sprinkled with classical quotations. 

"I have often, " he ended, "heard it advanced that all men are in realityequally favoured by the Fates in their passage through the world. I havealways doubted the truth of that assertion, and now I am convinced of itsfalsity. Mr. Eustace is a very excellent young man, and, if I may beallowed to say so, a very good-looking young man; but what, I would askthis assembled company, has Mr. Meeson done above the rest of men tojustify his supreme good fortune? Why should this young gentleman bepicked out from the multitude of young gentlemen to inherit two millionsof money, and to marry the most charming--yes, the most charming, themost talented, and the bravest young lady that I have ever met--a younglady who not only carries twenty fortunes on her face, but anotherfortune in her brain, and his fortune on her neck--and such a fortune, too! Sir"--and he bowed towards Eustace--

"'Lovely Thais sits beside thee, Take the goods the gods provide thee. '

"I salute you, as all men must salute one so supremely favoured. Humbly, I salute you; humbly I pray that you may continually deserve the almostunparalleled good that it has pleased Providence to bestow upon you. "

And then Eustace rose and made his speech, and a very good speech it was, considering the trying circumstances under which it was made. He toldthem how he had fallen in love with Augusta's sweet face the very firsttime that he had set eyes upon it in the office of his uncle atBirmingham. He told them what he had felt when, after getting some workin London, he had returned to Birmingham to find his lady-love flown, andof what he had endured when he heard that she was among the drowned onboard the Kangaroo. Then he came to the happy day of the return, and tothat still happier day when he discovered that he had not loved her invain, finally ending thus--

"Dr. Probate has said that I am a supremely fortunate man, and I admitthe truth of his remark. I am, indeed, fortunate above my deserts, sofortunate that I feel afraid. When I turn and see my beloved wife sittingat my side, I feel afraid lest I should after all be dreaming a dream, and awake to find nothing but emptiness. And then, on the other hand, isthis colossal wealth, which has come to me through her, and there again Ifeel afraid. But, please Heaven, I hope with her help to do some goodwith it, and remembering always that it is a great trust that has beenplaced in my hands. And she also is a trust and a far more inestimableone, and as I deal with her so may I be dealt with here and hereafter. "Then, by an afterthought, he proposed the health of the legal twins, whohad so nobly borne the brunt of the affray single-handed, anddisconcerted the Attorney-General and all his learned host. 

Thereon James rose to reply in terms of elephantine eloquence, and wouldhave gone through the whole case again had not Lady Holmhurst in despairpulled him by the sleeve and told him that he must propose her health, which he did with sincerity, lightly alluding to the fact that she was awidow by describing her as being in a "discovert condition, with all therights and responsibilities of a 'femme sole. '"

Everybody burst out laughing, not excepting poor lady Holmhurst herself, and James sat down, not without indignation that a giddy world shouldobject to an exact and legal definition of the status of the individualas set out by the law. 

And after that Augusta went and changed her dress, and then came thehurried good-byes; and, to escape observation, they drove off in ahansom cab amidst a shower of old shoes. 

And there in that hansom cab we will leave them. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

MEESON'S ONCE AGAIN. 

A month had passed--a month of long, summer days and such happiness asyoung people who truly love each other can get out of a honeymoon spentunder the most favourable circumstances in the sweetest, sunniest spotsof the Channel Islands. And now the curtain draws up for the last time inthis history, where it drew up for the first--in the inner office ofMeeson's huge establishment. 

During the last fortnight certain communications had passed between Mr. John Short, being duly authorized thereto, and the legal representativesof Messrs. Addison and Roscoe, with the result that the interests ofthese gentlemen in the great publishing house had been bought up, andthat Eustace Meeson was now the sole owner of the vast concern, which heintended to take under his personal supervision. 

Now, accompanied by John Short, whom he had appointed to the post of hissolicitor both of his business and his private affairs, and by Augusta, he was engaged in formally taking over the keys from the head manager, who was known throughout the establishment, as No. 1. 

"I wish to refer to the authors' agreements of the early part of lastyear, " said Eustace. 

No. 1 produced them somewhat sulkily. He did not like the appearance ofthis determined young owner upon the scene, with his free andun-Meeson-like ways. 

Eustace turned them over, and while he did so, his happy wife stood byhim, marvelling at the kaleidoscopic changes in her circumstances. Whenlast she had stood in that office, not a year ago, it had been as apitiful suppliant begging for a few pounds wherewith to try and save hersister's life, and now--

Suddenly Eustace stopped turning, and drawing a document from the bundle, glanced at it. It was Augusta's agreement with Meeson and Co. For"Jemima's Vow, " the agreement binding her to them for five years whichhad been the cause of all her troubles, and, as she firmly believed, ofher little sister's death. 

"There, my dear, " said Eustace to his wife, "there is a present foryou. Take it!"

Augusta took the document, and having looked to see what it was, shiveredas she did so. It brought the whole thing back so painfully to her mind. 

"What shall I do with it, " she asked; "tear it up?"

"Yes, " he answered. "No, stop a bit, " and taking it from her he wrote"cancelled" in big letters across it, signed and dated it. 

"There, " he said, "now send it to be framed and glazed, and it shall behung here in the office, to show how they used to do business atMeeson's. "

No. 1 snorted, and looked at Eustace aghast. What would the young man beafter next?

"Are the gentlemen assembled in the hall?" asked Eustace of him when theremaining documents were put away again. 

No. 1 said that they were, and accordingly, to the hall they went, wherein were gathered all the editors, sub-editors, managers, sub-managers of the various departments, clerks, and other employees, notforgetting the tame authors, who, a pale and mealy regiment, had beenmarched up thither from the Hutches, and the tame artists with flyinghair--and were now being marshalled in lines by No. 1, who had gone onbefore. When Eustace and his wife and John Short got to the top of thehall, where some chairs had been set, the whole multitude bowed, whereonhe begged them to be seated--a permission of which the tame authors, whosat all day in their little wooden hutches, and sometimes a good part ofthe night also, did not seem to care to avail themselves of. But the tameartists, who had, for the most part, to work standing, sat down readily. 

"Gentlemen, " said Eustace, "first let me introduce you to my wife, Mrs. Meeson, who, in another capacity, has already been--not greatly to herown profit--connected with this establishment, having written the bestwork of fiction that has ever gone through our printing-presses"--(Heresome of the wilder spirits cheered, and Augusta blushed and bowed)--"andwho will, I hope and trust, write many even better books, which we shallhave the honour of giving to the world. " (Applause. ) "Also, gentlemen, let me introduce you to Mr. John Short, my solicitor, who, together withhis twin brother, Mr. James Short, brought the great lawsuit in which Iwas engaged to a successful issue. 

"And now I have to tell you why I have summoned you all to meetme here. First of all, to say that I am now the sole owner of thisbusiness, having bought out Messrs. Addison and Roscoe"--("And agood job too, " said a voice)--"and that I hope we shall work welltogether; and secondly, to inform you that I am going to totallyrevolutionise the course of business as hitherto practised in thisestablishment"--(Sensation)--"having, with the assistance of Mr. Short, drawn up a scheme for that purpose. I am informed in the statement ofprofits on which the purchase price of the shares of Messrs. Addison andRoscoe was calculated, that the average net profits of this house duringthe last ten years have amounted to fifty-seven and a fraction per centon the capital invested. Now, I have determined that in future the netprofits of any given undertaking shall be divided as follows:--Ten percent to the author of the book in hand, and ten per cent to the House. Then, should there be any further profit, it will be apportioned thus:One-third--of which a moiety will go towards a pension fund--to theemployee's of the House, the division to be arranged on a fixedscale"--(Enormous sensation, especially among the tame authors)--"andthe remainder to the author of the work. Thus, supposing that a book paidcent per cent, I shall take ten per cent. , and the employees would taketwenty-six and a fraction per cent, and the author would take sixty-fourper cent. "

And here an interruption occurred. It came from No. 1, who could nolonger retain his disgust. 

"I'll resign, " he said; "I'll resign! Meeson's content with ten per cent, and out-of-pocket expenses, when an author--a mere author--gets sixty!It's shameful--shameful!"

"If you choose to resign, you can, " said Eustace, sharply; "but I adviseyou to take time to think it over. Gentlemen, " went on Eustace, "Idaresay that this seems a great change to you, but I may as well say atonce that I am no wild philanthropist. I expect to make it pay, and paywell. To begin with, I shall never undertake any work that I do notthink will pay--that is, without an adequate guarantee, or in thecapacity of a simple agent; and my own ten per cent will be the firstcharge on the profits; then the author's ten. Of course, if I speculatein a book, and buy it out and out, subject to the risks, the case willbe different. But with a net ten per cent certain, I am, like people inany other line of business, quite prepared to be satisfied; and, uponthose terms, I expect to become the publisher of all the best writers inEngland, and I also expect that any good writer will in future be ableto make a handsome income out of his work. Further, it strikes me thatyou will most of you find yourselves better off at the end of the yearthan you do at present" (Cheers). "One or two more matters I must touchon. First and foremost the Hutches, which I consider a scandal to agreat institution like this, will be abolished"--(Shouts of joy from thetame authors)--"and a handsome row of brick chambers erected in theirplace, and, further, their occupants will in future receive a verypermanent addition to their salaries "--(renewed and deliriouscheering). "Lastly, I will do away with this system--this horridsystem--of calling men by numbers, as though they were convicts insteadof free Englishmen. Henceforth everybody in this establishment will beknown by his own name. " (Loud cheers. )

"And now one more thing: I hope to see you all at dinner at PompadourHall this day next week, when we will christen our new scheme and the newfirm, which, however, in the future as in the past, will be known asMeeson & Co. , for, as we are all to share in the profits of ourundertaking, I consider that we shall still be a company, and I hope aprosperous and an honest company in the truest sense of the word. " Andthen amidst a burst of prolonged and rapturous cheering, Eustace and hiswife bowed, and were escorted out to the carriage that was waiting todrive them to Pompadour Hall. 

In half-an-hour's time they were re-entering the palatial gates fromwhich, less than a year before, Eustace had been driven forth to seek hisfortune. There, on either side, were drawn up the long lines of menials, gorgeous with plush and powder (for Mr. Meeson's servants had never beendischarged), and there was the fat butler, Johnson, at their head, thesame who had given his farewell message to his uncle. 

"Good gracious!" said Augusta, glancing up the marble steps, "there aresix of those great footmen. What on earth shall I do with them all"--

"Sack them, " said Eustace, abruptly; "the sight of those overfed brutesmakes me sick!"

And then they were bowed in--and under the close scrutiny of manypairs of eyes, wandered off with what dignity they could command todress for dinner. 

In due course they found themselves at dinner, and such a dinner! It tookan hour and twenty minutes to get through, or rather the six footmen tookan hour and twenty minutes to carry the silver dishes in and out. Neversince their marriage had Eustace and Augusta, felt so miserable. 

"I don't think that I like being so rich, " said Augusta rising and comingdown the long table to her husband, when at last Johnson had softlyclosed the door. "It oppresses me!"

"So it does me, " said Eustace; "and I tell you what it is, Gussie, " hewent on, putting his arm round her, "I won't stand having all theseinfernal fellows hanging round me. I shall sell this place, and go in forsomething quieter. "

And at that moment there came a dreadful diversion. Suddenly, and withoutthe slightest warning, the doors at either end of the room opened. Through the one came two enormous footmen laden with coffee and cream, etc. , and through the other Johnson and another powdered monster bearingcognac and other liquors. And there was Augusta with Eustace's arm roundher, absolutely too paralysed to stir. Just as the men came up she gotaway somehow, and stood looking like an idiot, while Eustace coloured tohis eyes. Indeed, the only people who showed no confusion were thosemagnificent menials, who never turned a single powdered hair, but wentthrough their solemn rites with perfectly unabashed countenances. 

"I can't stand this, " said Augusta, feebly, when they had at lengthdeparted. "I am going to bed; I feel quite faint. "

"All right, " said Eustace, "I think that it is the best thing to do inthis comfortless shop. Confound that fellow, Short, why couldn't he comeand dine? I wonder if there is any place where one could go to smoke apipe, or rather a cigar--I suppose those fellows would despise me if Ismoked a pipe? There was no smoking allowed here in my uncle's time, so Iused to smoke in the house-keeper's room; but I can't do that now"--

"Why don't you smoke here?--the room is so big it would not smell, "said Augusta. 

"Oh, hang it all, no, " said Eustace; "think of the velvet curtains! Ican't sit and smoke by myself in a room fifty feet by thirty; I shouldget the blues. No, I shall come upstairs, too, and smoke there"--

And he did. 

Early, very early in the morning, Augusta woke, got up, and put on adressing-gown. 

The light was streaming through the rich gold cloth curtains, some ofwhich she had drawn. It lit upon the ewers, made of solid silver, on thefine lace hangings of the bed, and the priceless inlaid furniture, andplayed round the faces of the cupids on the frescoed ceiling. Augustastared at it all and then thought of the late master of this untoldmagnificence as he lay dying in the miserable hut in Kerguelen Land. Whata contrast was here!

"Eustace, " she said to her sleeping spouse, "wake up, I want to saysomething to you. "

"Eh! what's the matter?" said Eustace, yawning. 

"Eustace, we are too rich--we ought to do something with all this money. "

"All right, " said Eustace, "I'm agreeable. What do you want to do?"

"I want to give away a good sum--say, two hundred thousand, thatisn't much out of all you have--to found an institution forbroken-down authors. "

"All right, " said Eustace; "only you must see about it, I can't bebothered. By-the-way, " he added, waking up a little, "you remember whatthe old boy told you when he was dying? I think that starving authors whohave published with Meeson's ought to have the first right of election. "

"I think so, too, " said Augusta, and she went to the buhl writing-tableto work out that scheme on paper which, as the public is aware, is nowabout to prove such a boon to the world of scribblers. 

"I say, Gussie!" suddenly said her husband. "I've just had a dream!"

"Well!" she said sharply, for she was busy with her scheme; "what is it?"

"I dreamt that James Short was a Q. C. , and making twenty thousand a year, and that he had married Lady Holmhurst. "

"I should not wonder if that came true, " answered Augusta, biting the topof her pen. 

Then came another pause. 

"Gussie, " said Eustace, sleepily, "are you quite happy?"

"Yes, of course I am, that is, I should be if it wasn't for those footmenand the silver water-jugs. "

"I wonder at that, " said her husband. 

"Why?"

"Because"--(yawn)--"of that will upon your neck"--(yawn). "I should nothave believed that a woman could be quite happy"--(yawn)--"whocould--never go to Court. "

And he went to sleep again; while, disdaining reply, Augusta worked on. 

THE END.