low," said the Colonel, "what good do
you expect to get by that? You have hit me a blow when you knew that
I was unprepared, and, therefore, unarmed. Was that manly?" To this
Tom made no reply. "I suppose you have been drinking?" And Stubbs, as
he asked this question, looked into his companion's face. "I see you
have been drinking. What a fool you are making of yourself!"

"It is that girl," said Tom.

"Does that seem to you to be right? Can you do yourself any good by
that? Will she be more likely to listen to you when she hears that
you have got drunk, and have assaulted me in the street? Have I done
you any harm?"

"She says that you are better than me," replied Tom.

"If she does, is that my doing? Come, old fellow, try to be a man.
Try to think of this thing rightly. If you can win the girl you love,
win her; but, if you cannot, do not be such an ass as to suppose that
she is to love no one because she will not love you. It is a thing
which a man must bear if it comes in his way. As far as Miss Dormer
is concerned, I am in the same condition as you. But do you think
that I should attack you in the street if she began to favour you
to-morrow?"

"I wish she would; and then I shouldn't care what you did."

"I should think you a happy fellow, certainly; and for a time I
might avoid you, because your happiness would remind me of my own
disappointment; but I should not come behind your back and strike
you! Now, tell me where you live, and I will see you home." Then Tom
told him where he lived, and in a few minutes the Colonel had left
him within his own hall door.

CHAPTER XLV.

THERE IS SOMETHING OF THE ANGEL ABOUT HIM.

The little accident which was recorded at the close of the last
chapter occurred on a Tuesday night. On the following afternoon Tom
Tringle, again very much out of spirits, returned to Merle Park.
There was now nothing further for him to do in London. He had had
his last chance with Ayala, and the last chance had certainly done
him no good. Fortune, whether kindly or unkindly, had given him an
opportunity of revenging himself upon the Colonel; he had taken
advantage of the opportunity, but did not find himself much relieved
by what he had done. His rival's conduct had caused him to be
thoroughly ashamed of himself. It had at any rate taken from him all
further hope of revenge. So that now there was nothing for him but to
take himself back to Merle Park. On the Wednesday he heard noth