t arm, and trickling from his finger-tips.

With an exclamation, I started forward, but Bentley's grasp was on my
shoulder, and his voice whispered in my ear: "Leave him to Jack--'tis
better so." And indeed Jack was already beside him, had flung one arm
about the swaying figure, and half led, half carried him to a chair.

"Ah!" says Purdy, laying bare a great gash in the upper arm--"a little
blood, but simple--simple!" and he fell to work a-sponging and
bandaging, with a running exordium upon the humanity of the sword as
opposed to the more deadly bullet--until at length, the dressing in
place, Mr. Tawnish sighed and opened his eyes.

"Sir John," says he, sitting up, "give me leave to tell you that my
third and last task was accomplished this morning."

"Eh?" cries Jack, "but first, let me get you out of this."

"What of Sir Harry Raikes?" says Tawnish, rising.

"Serious," says Purdy, shaking his head, "serious, but not altogether
dangerous."

"Good!" says Jack, giving his arm to Mr. Tawnish, "I'm glad of that."

"Though," pursued Purdy, "he will be an invalid for months to come, the
right lung--as I pointed out to my colleague, Prothero--a man of very
excellent sense, by the way--"

At this juncture, at a sign from Prothero, Purdy left us with a bow.
Hereupon we saluted the others, and turning into an adjacent room,
called for wine and filled our glasses to Mr. Tawnish, with all the
honours.

As he rose to make his acknowledgment, for the first time in my
recollection he seemed ill at ease.

"Sir John, and gentlemen," says he, slowly, "I had scarce looked for
this kindness at your hands--it makes what I have to say harder than I
had thought. Gentlemen," he continued, after a brief pause, "you each in
turn set me an undertaking, little thinking at the time that there was
any likelihood of my fulfilling them. As you know, however, the first
two I accomplished some time since, and this morning I succeeded in the
last, namely, in taking all three of you, together and at the same time,
at a disadvantage. Sir John, gentlemen--scarce an hour ago the Lady
Penelope Chester became my wife."

Jack started up from the table with an oath, and fell back, staring at
the speaker with knitted brows--while Bentley gazed open-mouthed--as for
me, I could do nothing but think that our Pen was gone from our keeping
at last.

"By Gad, Jack, he's done us," cried Bentley, fetching the table a great
blow with his fist.

Now, a