he
brandy bottle, Jasper shook off the sense of pain, as does a wounded
wild beast that can still devour; and after regaling fast and
ravenously, he emptied half the bottle at a draught, and felt himself
restored and fresh.

"Shall you fling yourself amongst the swell fellows who hold their
club here, General?" asked Cutts; "'tis a bad trade; every year it gets
worse. Or have you not some higher game in your eye?"

"I have higher game in my eye. One bird I marked down this very night.
But that may be slow work, and uncertain. I have in this pocket-book a
bank to draw upon meanwhile."

"How? forged French _billets de banque_? dangerous."

"Pooh! better than that,--letters which prove theft against a
respectable rich man."

"Ah, you expect hush-money?"

"Exactly so. I have good friends in London."

"Among them, I suppose, that affectionate 'adopted mother,' who would
have kept you in such order."

"Thousand thunders! I hope not. I am not a superstitious man, but I
fear that woman as if she were a witch, and I believe she is one. You
remember black Jean, whom we call Sansculotte. He would have filled a
churchyard with his own brats for a five-franc piece; but he would not
have crossed a churchyard alone at night for a thousand naps. Well, that
woman to me is what a churchyard was to black Jean. No: if she is in
London, I have but to go to her house and say, 'Food, shelter, money;'
and I would rather ask Jack Ketch for a rope."

"How do you account for it, General? She does not beat you; she is not
your wife. I have seen many a stout fellow, who would stand fire without
blinking, show the white feather at a scold's tongue. But then he must
be spliced to her--"

"Cutts, that Griffin does not scold: she preaches. She wants to make me
spoony, Cutts: she talks of my young days, Cutts; she wants to blight me
into what she calls an honest man, Cutts,--the virtuous dodge! She snubs
and cows me, and frightens me out of my wits, Cutts; for I do believe
that the witch is determined to have me, body and soul, and to marry me
some day in spite of myself, Cutts; and if ever you see me about to be
clutched in those horrible paws, poison me with ratsbane, or knock me on
the head, Cutts."

The little man laughed a little laugh, sharp and eldrich, at the strange
cowardice of the stalwart dare-devil. But Jasper did not echo the laugh.

"Hush!" he said timidly, "and let me have a bed, if you can; I have not
slept in one for a