Year: 1879

A large party is assembled 10 celebrate
the feast of St. Partridge at Ravelstoke
Hall, an old country house about two
miles distant from the northwest corner
of Devon. The various branches of Eng
lish society are very fairly represented by
its component parts. There are two
neers. three members of the lower house,
some cuardsmen, some undergraduates,
a clergyman, and lieutenant in the
navy. But our hero is not a representa-
tive man; yet he belongs to a class which.
called into existence by the accumulated
wealth of the nineteenth century, is ever
on the increase.


Frederick Tyrawlcy has fought in
more than one state of South America,
and has wandered for more than two
wears from isle to isle of the Pacific. A
mysterious reputation hOvers round him.
He is supposed to have done many things,
hut no one is very clear what they are;
and it is not likely that much informa-
ton on the point will be obtained from
him. for he seldom talks much, and
never speaks of himself His present
mission appears to be to kill partridgcs,
play cricket, and dress himself.


Such as he is, however, he is an object
of interest to the feminine portion ofthe
party at Ravelstoke Hall; for he is rich
and handsome, as well rs mysterious, and
cannot be more than two-and-thirty.


There are blondes and brunettes, and
pretty, brown-haired, brown-cyed girls.
who hover between the two orders, and
combine the most dangerous character
istics Of both, who can wear both blue
and pink, and who look prettier in the
one color than they do in the other; but
who always command your suffrage in
favor of that they are wearing when you
look at them.


And there is Constance Baynon, with
gray eyes and black hair. And the incest
critic of feminine appearance might be
detied to state what she had worn, half
an hour after; for no one can ever look
at ANYTHING except her face.


Yet Constance is hree-and-twenty, and
still unmarried. Alas, what towards
men are. The fact is that Constance is
very clever; but as Mrs. Mellish the
widow says, mot clever enough to
hide it.


In Mr.. Tyrawley she affected to dis
believe. She stated Us her opinion to her
friends, that she didn't believe he ever
had done or ever would do anything
worth doing; but that he plumed himself
on a cheap reputation, which, as all were
ignorant of its foundation, no one could
possibly impugn.


There is reason to believe that in this
instance Miss Constance was not as con-
scientious as usual, but that she really
entertained higher opinion of the gen
tleman than she chose to confess. He
81, of,. nf hol
even dared to contradict her favorite
theory of the general worthlessness of
English gentlemen of the nineteenth
century.


The day fingered on, after the usual
fashion of wet days in September in full
country-houses. There was 4 little
dancing after dinner: but all retired
early in hopes of finer day on the NOR
row.


Tyrawley had some letters to write,
so that it was past two before he thought
of going to bed. He always slept with
his window open,- and Us he threw up
the sash, fierce gust Of wind blew out
his candles, and blew down the looking
glass.


Pleasant, by Jover he soliloquized.
L wonder whether it's smashed-un-
lucky to break looking-glass-I'm
hanged if ! know where the matches are
never mind; / can find my way to bed
in the dark. What 4 nightn rs flash
of lightning illuminated the room for a
moment, and he bent out of the window.
The wind must be about nor-nor-west.
Cheerful for anything coming up to Bris-
tol from the southwark. | wonder what
a storm is like on this coast. I have 4
great mind to go and see. shall never
be able to get that hall door open with
out waking them up. what 4 nuisance.
Stay, capital idea! I'll go by the
window


Before starting on this expedition, he
changed the remainder Of his evening
dress (for he had been writing in his
dressing -grown) for a flannel shirt and
trousers, whilst a short pea.jacket and
glazed hat completed his array. His
room was on the first floor, and he had in
tended to drop from the window-sill; but
the branch of an elTl came so near that
he found it unnecessary; as, springing to
it, he was on the ground, like cat, in
an instant. He soon found his way
across the country, like Bird to the
edge of the cliff. The sea for miles
seemed one sheet of foam.


But 4 flash Of lightning discovered a
group of figures about a quarter of 4
mile distant; and he distinguished
shouts in the intervals of the storm.


He was soon AMONGST them, and he
found that all ewes were turned on q