only a girl; but I think she will
poison me. It will end in her getting Mr. Greenwood to give me some
broth."

"John, you are too terrible."

"If I could be on the jury afterwards, I would certainly acquit them
both on the ground of extreme provocation."

Early on the following morning he was in a fidget, having fixed no
hour for his visit to Holloway. It was not likely that she should be
out or engaged, but he determined not to go till after lunch. All
employment was out of the question, and he was rather a trouble to
his sister; but in the course of the morning there came a letter
which did for a while occupy his thoughts. The envelope was addressed
in a hand he did not know, and was absurdly addressed to the

"RIGHT HONOURABLE,
THE LORD HAMPSTEAD."

"I wonder who this ass is," said he, tearing it open. The ass was
Samuel Crocker, and the letter was as follows;--

Heathcote Street,
Mecklenburg Square,
Christmas Day, 18--.

MY DEAR LORD HAMPSTEAD,

I hope I may be excused for addressing your lordship in
this familiar manner. I take occasion of this happy day
to write to your lordship on a message of peace. Since
I had the honour of meeting you at your noble uncle's
mansion, Castle Hautboy, I have considered it one of the
greatest delights of my life to be able to boast of your
acquaintance. You will not, I am sure, forget that we have
been fellow sportsmen, and that we rode together on that
celebrated run when we killed our fox in the field just
over Airey Force. I shall never forget the occasion, or
how well your lordship went over our rough country. To my
mind there is no bond of union so strong as that of sport.

"Up strikes little Davy with his musical horn."

I am sure you will remember that, my lord, and the
beautiful song to which it belongs. I remember, too, how,
as we were riding home after the run, your lordship was
talking all the way about our mutual friend, George Roden.

He is a man for whom I have a most sincere regard, both as
being an excellent public servant, and as a friend of your
lordship's. It is quite a pleasure to see the way in which
he devotes himself to the service,--as I do also. When
you have taken the Queen's shilling you ought to earn
it. Those are my principles, my lord. We have a couple
of young fellows there whose only object it is to get
through the day and eat their