the way."

At a hard gallop they crossed the intervening woods, and, without
difficulty, Russell found the spot where the mangled form lay still. He had
swooned, with his face turned up to the sky, and the ghastliness of death
had settled on his strongly marked, handsome features.

"God pity Irene!" said the doctor, as he bent down and examined the horrid
wound, striving to press the red lips together.

The pain caused from handling him roused the brave spirit to consciousness,
and opening his eyes he looked around wonderingly.

"Well, Hiram! it is all over with me, old fellow."

"I hope not, Leonard; can't you turn a little, and let me feel for the
ball?"

"It is of no use; I am torn all to pieces. Take me out of this dirt, on the
fresh grass somewhere."

"I must first extract the ball. Aubrey, can you help me raise him a
little?"

Administering some chloroform, he soon succeeded in taking out the ball,
and, with Russell's assistance, passed a bandage round the body.

"There is no chance for me, Hiram; I know that. I have few minutes to live.
Some water."

Russell put a cup to his white lips, and calling in the assistance of
Cyrus, who had followed his master, they carried him several yards farther,
and made him comfortable, while orders were despatched for an ambulance.

A horrible convulsion seized him at this moment, and so intense was the
agony that a groan burst through his set teeth, and he struggled to rise.
Russell knelt down and rested the haughty head against his shoulder, wiping
off the cold drops that beaded the pallid brow. After a little while,
lifting his eyes to the face bending over him, Major Huntingdon gazed into
the melancholy black eyes, and said, almost in a whisper--

"I little thought I should ever owe you thanks. Aubrey, forgive me all my
hate; you can afford to do so now. I am not a brute; I know magnanimity
when I see it. Perhaps I was wrong to visit Amy's sins on you; but I could
not forgive her. Aubrey, it was natural that I should hate Amy's son."

Again the spasm shook his lacerated frame, and twenty minutes after his
fierce, relentless spirit was released from torture; the proud, ambitious,
dauntless man was with his God.

Dr. Arnold closed the eyes with trembling fingers, and covered his face
with his hands to hide the tears that he could not repress.

For some moments silence reigned; then Dr. Arnold said suddenly--

"Come in, and let me see your arm. Your sleeve is f