ggar, Sir
Gervaise Oakes, though only an American. I am the owner of a plantation,
which affords me a respectable independence, already; and I do not serve
from necessity, but from choice. Perhaps, if Sir Wycherly knew this, he
would consent to omit my name. I honour and respect him; would gladly
relieve his distress, either of body or mind; but I cannot consent to
accept his money when offered on terms I consider humiliating."

This was said modestly, but with a warmth and sincerity which left no
doubt that the speaker was in earnest. Sir Gervaise too much respected
the feelings of the young man to urge the matter any further, and he
turned towards the bed, in expectation of what the sick man might next
say. Sir Wycherly heard and understood all that passed, and it did not
fail to produce an impression, even in the state to which he was
reduced. Kind-hearted, and indisposed to injure even a fly, all the
natural feelings of the old man resumed their ascendency, and he would
gladly have given every shilling of his funded property to be able
freely to express his compunction at having ever uttered a syllable that
could offend sensibilities so noble and generous. But this exceeded his
powers, and he was fain to do the best he could, in the painful
situation in which he was placed.

"Noble fellow!" he stuttered out; "honour to name--come here--Sir
Gervaise--bring here--"

"I believe it is the wish of Sir Wycherly, that you would draw near the
bed, Mr. Wychecombe of _Virginia_," said the vice-admiral, pithily,
though he extended a hand to, and smiled kindly on, the youth as the
latter passed him in compliance.

The sick man now succeeded, with a good deal of difficulty, in drawing a
valuable signet-ring from a finger.--This ring bore the Wychecombe arms,
engraved on it. It was without the bloody hand, however; for it was far
older than the order of baronets, having, as Wycherly well knew, been
given by one of the Plantagenet Dukes to an ancestor of the family,
during the French wars of Henry VI., and that, too, in commemoration of
some signal act of gallantry in the field.

"Wear this--noble fellow--honour to name," said Sir Wycherly. "_Must_ be
descended--all Wychecombes descended--him--"

"I thank you, Sir Wycherly, for this present, which I prize as it ought
to be prized," said Wycherly, every trace of any other feeling than that
of gratitude having vanished from his countenance. "I may have no claims
to your honou