guard.

"It's only a cheroot, and a prime one," said the smoker, coolly; "and as
you object, I 'll not light another."

"A vast condescension on your part, sir, seeing that we have already
signified our dislike to tobacco," said the lay traveller.

"I did not remark that _you_ gave any opinion at all," said the smoker;
"and my vast condescension, as you term it, is entirely in favor of this
gentleman."

There was no mistaking the provocation of this speech, rendered actually
insulting by the mode in which it was delivered; and the traveller to
whom it was addressed, enveloping himself in his cloak, sat moodily
back, without a word. The train soon halted for a few seconds; and,
brief as was the interval, this traveller employed it to spring from his
place and seek a refuge elsewhere,--a dexterous manouvre which seemed
to excite the envy of the parson, now left alone with his uncongenial
companion. The man of peace, however, made the best of it, and, drawing
his travelling-cap over his eyes, resolved himself to sleep. For a
considerable while the other sat still, calmly watching him; and at
last, when perfectly assured that the slumber was not counterfeited, he
gently arose, and drew the curtain across the lamp in the roof of the
carriage. A dim, half-lurid light succeeded, and by this uncertain glare
the stranger proceeded to make various changes in his appearance. A
large bushy wig of black hair was first discarded, with heavy eyebrows,
and whiskers to match; an immense overcoat was taken off, so heavily
padded and stuffed that when denuded of it the wearer seemed half his
size; large heels were unscrewed from his boots, reducing his height
by full a couple of inches; till, at length, in place of a large,
unwieldy-looking man of sixty, lumbering and beetle-browed, there came
forth a short, thick-set figure, with red hair and beard, twinkling eyes
of a fierce gray, and a mouth the very type of unflinching resolution.
Producing a small looking-glass, he combed and arranged his whiskers
carefully, re-tied his cravat, and bestowed a most minute scrutiny on
his appearance, muttering, as he finished, to himself, "Ay, Kit, you 're
more like yourself now!" It is, perhaps, unnecessary to say this speech
was addressed to our acquaintance Grog Davis, nor was it altogether what
is called a "French compliment;" he _did_ look terribly like himself.
There was in his hard, stern face, his pinched-up eyes, and his puckered
mouth,