intellectual gifts which lift a man to either the good or bad eminence. He was weak and vacillating - one minute swayed by a good influence, a tr

ossessed such a friend in the person of Victor Carrington, a young surgeon, a man infinitely below Mr.

arance was altogether foreign, and although his own name was English, he was half a Frenchman, his mother being a na

ch to lean. Reginald Eversleigh invited his new friend to his rooms - to champagne breakfasts, to suppers of broiled bones, eaten long after midnight: to card-parties, at which large sums of money were lost and

chair at écarté," said one of the officers in Reginald Eversleigh's regiment. "It's my opinion that black-eyed

ho liked his new acquaintance, and there were some who kept altogether aloof from the y

st invariably scoundrels. I respect a man who is great in one thing - a great surgeon, a great lawyer,

with his uncle. He trusted Victor: not because he cared to confide in him - for the story was too hu

of hundred, isn't it, Carrington?" said Reginald, as the two young men dined together in the cornet'

o hundred. The generous old uncle may choose to draw his purse-strings, and cast us off to 'beggarly divorcement,' as Desdemona remarks; but we don't

d

than himself. There was a depth of pride, which few understood, lurking beneath his quiet and unobtrusive manner; and he had a way

take care what you're about. Sir Oswald has advised you to exchange into the line. Instead of doing that, you will sell out altogether

nald. "Leave the army! I h

hot-house flowers, your wines, your cigars? You can't go on upon credit for ever; tradesmen have such a tiresome habit of wanting money, if it's only a hundred or so now and then on account. The Jews are beginning to be suspicious of your paper. The news of your quarrel with Sir Oswald is pretty sure to get about somehow or ot

atching him?" asked Mr

dy attitude, with his elbows on his knees, and his head bent forward,

in order to see that he don't play you a tri

k should h

s with his heir, he is apt to turn

fifty yea

Sir Oswald would be a splendid match, and depend upon it, there are plenty of beautiful and high-born women who woul

of his house. He has sever

hain of communication with his household," answered V

trusts as far as he trusts any dependent; bu

, and depend upon it, Mr. Millard knows more of your uncle's business than S

l fellow - honesty itself

n; "did you ever try the effect of

ev

Sir Robert Walpole said, 'Every man has his pr

nderful fello

o through the world with their eyes half-shut. I graduated in a

t sc

robate and a gamester, and I knew at an early age that I had nothing to hope for from him. I have had my

" said Mr. Eversleigh; "you have finished your educa

few men of five-and-twenty have studied - chemistry as well as surgery. I can afford to wait my chances. I pick up a few pounds a week by writing for the medical journals, and with that resource and o

me now that I am down in

u have the chance of succeeding to forty thousa

ed as he laughed. Reginald looked at hi

gton!" he exclaimed; "you don'

to make in the world, Mr. Eversleigh, and must consider my own interests as well as those of my friends. You see, I am no hypocrite. You needn't be alarmed, dear boy. I'll help you, and you shall help me; and it shall go hard if you are not re

the following evening Mr. Carrington presented himself at the door

He had chosen the baronet's dinner-hour as the time for his call, knowing that during that hour the valet must be d

or, and ushered Mr. Carrington into a small room

ead Sir Oswald Eversleigh's valet as he could have read an open book He saw that the man was weak, irresolute, tolerabl

s man's countenance, "greedy, and avaricious. S

eginald Eversleigh, and that he made this visit entirely without that gent

e medical profession, Mr. Millard, and I assure you that during the past fortnight I have almost feared for my friend's reason. I therefore determined upon a desperate step - a step which Reginald Eversleigh woul

raid no

every one if that estate were to pass into strange hands - a very bad thing for old servants, for with strangers all o

looked v

ortnight ago, I should have told you it

hat do

cret; so I'll tell you candidly that nothing my master could do w

ington Street until he had extorted from the valet the entire hist