?"

"You will--won't you, Philip?"

"I will promise not to say anything to him," I replied.

"He is willing to promise," continued she.

"Then I won't let him loose. He is an obstinate mule, and ready to kick
the one who does him a favor. Though I have been his best friend in
Chicago, he volunteers to hunt me down like a wild beast. He has his
reward."

"But what are you going to do with him?" inquired Marian.

"I intend to shoot him," replied Mr. Whippleton, as he took a draught
from his bottle, and then produced a revolver, with which he toyed as
though it had been a pet plaything. "I am prepared for the worst, and I
shall never be safe while he is above the sod."

"Would you be a murderer?" asked Marian, with horror.

"Phil says I would, and I may be obliged to verify his words."

"I did not think you were such a monster!" exclaimed my fair companion,
with a shudder.

"I did not think so myself; but Phil keeps goading me on, and I don't
know what I may become. If he had minded his own business, and not
troubled himself about mine, he would have been safe in Chicago
to-day."

"But you don't mean to kill him?"

"That will depend upon himself--and you."

"Upon me?"

"Yes, upon you, in part."

"What shall I do?"

"Sit down, Miss Collingsby, and make yourself comfortable," he
continued, with a smile, as though he were rather pleased with his own
reflections.

"I will say anything I can to my father, and I will induce my mother to
speak for you," said she, seating herself near my head.

"I know your father better than you do, Miss Collingsby. He would be
ashamed of himself to be influenced by you, or by your mother. I won't
trust him till I have a hold upon him. I don't ask for any pleading in
my behalf, because I know it would do no good."

"What do you wish me to do?"

"I had a rather brilliant thought just now," said he, chuckling, and
looking very silly, partly from the effects of the whiskey he had
drank, and partly from the nature of his own thoughts.

He paused, as though he was not quite ready to express the brilliant
thought. He turned over the pistol in his hand, and glanced foolishly
at Miss Collingsby.

"What can I do?" asked Marian, evidently disgusted with his manner.

"I want some security for your father's good behavior," he replied.

"I will plead with him."

"It will do no good."

"What would you have me do?"

"I think I heard you say you would not marry my friend Ben