Litchfield enquirer., 1860-06-14
was extinct before the next bumper went


 round
 Sir Harry became-gayer no-more ] boisterous than before.
 Sir Charles F--- remarked that they } were thirteen at table "Then one among us is booked for within the year," said Col. { D., laughingly.
 "A hundred guineas to five, I am the man," said Sir Harry.
 ) "Done ]" exclaimed Lord Dashmore, at the same time drawing out his pocket-book for the purpose of entering the bet: "and ; in twelyemonth and day, I shall wait upon you for cool huudred-for you'll lose" :"
 "'Tis no bet, Dashmore," said Sir Harry, with bitter smile, which no one but Max we'll noticeda; "'tis no bet, so don't book it /: no man is justified in making bet aohen he ) kmous himself sure of thinning" It was growing late. Some one looked at his watch and observed that it was almost time to break up Don't think of leaving me yet" said Sir Harry" for Gods sake. And he rang for more wine, together with anchovy toasts. broiled bones, and other pro vocatiyes to drinking To most present, the form of his appeal seemed odd; to Maxwell it appeared awful
 But the last, and most striking occurrence of the night, is now to be related Sir liar ry, it is said, exhibited manifest signs of i'm patience at even the short intervals of si- lence to which the give-and-take of conver- sation occasionally subjected him. They threw him back upon his own reflections. A question being put to Col. D. respect ing the storming of Badajoz, he described just so much of it as had come immediately under his own observation Qor he had been engaged in it) and with so much force, vi- vacity, and picturesque effect was his short narrative imbued, that it engrossed the at- tcntion of all present. It could not have occupied longer than three minutes yet, when the Colonel had ceased speaking, it was observed that Sir Harry was leaning with lis elbow on the table and his forehead in his hand. "The Baronet's off, said some one, and laughed Sir Harry started at the sound, mechanically filled his glass, and set the wine on. "What the deuce is the mat ter with you, Highhyer ?' exclaimed anoth- CT your cravat is covered with blood !'' NotLing'-replied he, putting his hand kerchief to his mouth--"N othing-- scratch --nothing -fill--fll, and send the wine about" His appearance was ghastly his features were distorted, his face was deadly neither lip which in the intensity of mental agony he had nconsciously bitten nearly through
 "I have not seen the Baronet so much cut," whispered Col. D. to Lord Dash more, who was sitting next to him, since the hard bout we had at Melton last year. Let's bc off"
 As the party retired, the successive "G ood night" of each fell upon Sir Iarry's ear like death-knelI It strack like an ice bolt to his heart ! He was man of "unqueston able courage" as we have seen, but he could not stand it and as the three or four last were preparing to leave the room, he cut short their valedctions by hastily saying, that'll do, that'll do." Maxwell was the last to retire Sir Harry grasped his hand and held it firmly till he heard the street door close upon the rest. "Noao you may go, Tom; those are mere friends of the hour, but you and have been friends from children. You knew my poor father, and he loved you. There"-;snd he shock his hand warmly" here---now--go--Good night Heaven bless you, Tom. Heaven bless you. Go-go." Maxwell, as he went out, said to Laurent, " It is probable your master will not ring for you very early tomorrow be sure you suffer 10 one to ap- proach him till I come"
 "Aa parclc, Sare, I sal not be ver' glad to go to him ver' soon--ehdeed he make the blood to come ont to my arm. l take him for wild cat"
 They were mistaken who thought that Sir Harry was cut--in plain English, drunk; out the evening, by the by, had not been the most enviable--he was the only sober man of the party. The prodigious quantity of wine he had swallowed produced no more effect upon him, in the way of intoxication, than if it had been water he carried an antidote to it in his mind. Left to himself he filled large goblet with claret, which he took off at draught. He then desired Laurent to give him taper, told him he had no occasion for his attendance that night, shook him by the hand, (which con- descension the poor fellow conceived to be intended as set-of against the gripe he had received, walked steadily into his dress ing room, and locked and bolted the door. l l1c tIiCN dpIJlOttCiSu CHC took the letters he had written in the morn- ing, and the vial of laudanum, from the drawer wherein he had deposited them and having spread out the former in such a man. ner that they could not fail to be seen by any one who should come into the room the next day-he paused for few secouds. He then uncorked the ,vial-swallowed its con- tents-stood motionless, as if transfixed, for nearly a minute-staggered towards a sofa, and fell senseless on it.
 Now if any one should say that Mr. Max well, with the suspicious he entertained, or, rather, the knowledge he possessed of Sir Harry's intention, acted unwarrantably- heartlessly-wickedly-in leaving him to carry it into execution, the only defence I can offer for him is that--perhaps he had very good reasons for acting as he did But to relieve him as speedily as possible from the odious charge of conniving at so horri- ble deed, it will be as well at once to ex- plain what those reasons were.
 Although the friendly intercourse which had hitherto subsisted between these gentle men had ceased for nearly year prior to the period in question, Maxwell, nevertheless, with considerable anxiety watched the pro ceedings of the son of his benefactor. He was aware of the ruinous modes of raising money resorted to by Sir Harry, whilst any thing remained in his possession which he