an old song--you used to sing it," said Mr. Vincent. "By the way,
I congratulate you. Your husband has won six hundred pounds. I heard
Betterton say so, who gave him the odds."

"He is a wretch! He gave me his word of honor that he didn't bet. He is
a gambler--he'll ruin his child! He neglects his wife for that--that
creature! He calls her Lord Crick--crick--ipplegate," sobbed her
ladyship, "Why did I marry him?"

"Why, indeed!" said Mr. Vincent.

As the two were talking, Dolly Trotter, her ladyship's brother, came up
to the carriage; at which, with a scowl on his wicked countenance, and
indulging inwardly in language which I am very glad not to be called
upon to report, Vincent retired, biting his nails, like a traitor, and
exhibiting every sign of ill-humor which the villain of a novel or of a
play is wont to betray.

"Don't have that fellow about you, Zuly," Dolly said to his darling
sister. "He is a bad one. He's no principle: he--he's a gambler, and
every thing that's bad."

"I know others who are gamblers," cried out Zuleika. "I know others who
are every thing that's bad, Adolphus," Lady Raikes exclaimed.

"For heaven's sake, what do you mean?" said Adolphus, becoming red and
looking very much frightened.

"I mean my husband," gasped the lady. "I shall go home to papa. I shall
take my dear little blessed babe with me and go to papa, Adolphus. And
if you had the spirit of a man, you would--you would avenge me, that you
would."

"Against Joe!" said the heavy dragoon; "against Joe, Zuly? Why, hang me
if Joe isn't the greatest twump in Chwistendom. By Jove he is!" said the
big one, shaking his fist; "and if that scoundwel, Vincent, or any other
wascal, has said a word against him, by Jove--"

"Pray stop your horrid oaths and vulgar threats, Adolphus," her ladyship
said.

"I don't know what it is--you've got something against Joe. Something
has put you against him; and if it's Vincent, I'll wring his--"

"Mercy! mercy! Pray cease this language." Lady Raikes said.

"You don't know what a good fellow Joe is," said the dragoon. "The best
twump in England, as _I've_ weason to say, sister: and here he comes
with the horses. God bless the old boy!"

With this, honest Sir Joseph Raikes took his seat in his carriage; and
tried, by artless blandishments, by humility, and by simple
conversation, to coax his wife into good humor; but all his efforts were
unavailing. She would not speak a word during the journey to