Year: 1873

the noble brow, the partially bald pate
| the expressive mouth, the magnifcen
teeth, the chiselled nose-the-not th,
eloquent dark eyes, the same sort O


eyes though, differing only from min,


IN one little particular feature. Hi


eyes had red ring round each, caused


perhaps by cold or greif nor could h,


boast of rosy fresh complexion sucl


as mine his was most decidedly chole
rIc, blue as indigo. 1 concluded a
| once that he travelled for some dry


salter, and had been fidgeting with hi:
samples, perhaps had received q parce


OF blue stuff in bulk to save carriage
which he had been weighing out anC
packing with his own hands into the re-
quired quantities for his various GUS
toners IN the district. Then. having
done his work, it was not unreasonable
to suppose he had made his toilet fol
the commercial room, and had in mo-
ment of forgetfulness used the indigo
bag for towel.


am fond of harmless fun, and I con-
fess fervently wished for few more
arrivals to enjoy it with me. In the
space of a few minutes I invented a
dozen funny things to say; the last was
so rich that [ laughed outright And
so did he.


We sat and looked at each other.
noticed that when took drink he did
the same. When 1 puffed he puffed. If
Imoved hand or foot, so did he.


l could stand it no longer I was an
cry, and said to him


I am not to be insulted with i'm
punity, sir. My names Brown. I
represent the house of Rimmocks, sir,
there's my card stand up like man,
sir


My blood was up.


The cadaverous wretch repeated my
very words and actions, and handed me
a card which was engraved, Ode Ire
mems & Co., wine and spirit merchants =


1 finished my toddy, took off my
coat, locked the door, and looked him
full in the face


He finished his toddy, threw off his
coat, went to the door, and put the key
in his pocket! But never for an instant
did he take his eyes off me. He was
quite ready for me. He waited for me.
His azure countenance had changed; he
looked fiendish.


The noble art of self-defence formed
a feature in my education; when at
school, / could parry and counter cap
italy; my blow was equal to hundred
and thirty-seven pounds, and I could
give the upper cut beautifully; but
somehow I felt afraid of this fellow,
and I looked at him as freely as I
could, in the hope that he would make
me an apology. Nothing of the kind
On the country, his demoniacal scowl
o,,1 x-IllOy-
the redness round his eyes became
shone with a dazzle that seemed to
freeze my blood. I would have given
a months salary, and expenses to boot,
to have been safely anywhere else, [
looked at the window as the thought
rose, and determined to risk limb by
jumping through it into the street be-
low. But I must have passed him.
His eyes were upon me, and l gave up
the idea as soon as formed.


1 had contrived, however, to have the
table between US, and thus we were face
to face. I could not now look him
straight in the eye, as I had always
been accustomed to look at q man.


I shrank from his terrible stare, and
my blood seemed to galop as though
every drop in my body had entered and
was running OH a steeple-chase through
my veins, with a wind up leap from my
heart to my brain.


To my horror I became sensible that
the table was moving with a slow but
certain motion toward the side of the
room. I held it with all my strength,
but without avail. My antagonist was
evidently n much stronger man than
myself, and had the design of making
for himself fair field on which to ex-
hibit his powers. I would have pulled
the bell out by its roots, for help, but
my hands were riveted to the table. I
moved with it against my will; his terri
BILE eyes were upon me.


At last the table touched the wall
my enemy lifted his hands, and as he
did so I found mine were released.
Quick as lightning he sprong at me
Quick as lightning, [ remembered l
had large spring backed knife in my
pocket I thrust my hand in search of
it but l was already in the grip of
wise, receiving blows that would not
have disgraced a mammoth's hammer.
was knocked down; [ was knocked
up was thrown over his head, Kicked
in many places at once, jumped upon,
knelt upon ; my teeth were punched
out, my nose fattened, my neck dislo-
Gated, my skull fractured, my ribs
smashed in, before [ could even plant
one with my left upon any part of my
antagonist.


At length obtained freedom for my
right hand; the next minute he was
dead at my feet With great difficulty
I arose, and drawing the table to its
original position, secreted the body
Then, with an inexpress-
ible feeling of triumph and Joy, I wiped
my trusty weapon.


Horror In every chair, on every Ia
BILE, on the solemn old clock, in row
on the mantle shelf, were new arrivals
Indigo dealers, all waiting to have a
turn with me


The morning after my arrival at the
&C Red Dragon" found myself in bed,
down. The people of the inn
told me that had been mad the night
before, and had fought battle royal
with every article of furniture in the
room. [ knew better, of course but
I kept nv own counsel. I could have
told them that I had conquered not
only De Tremens himself, but also his
awful Co.