ounting
enthusiasm; the clock at Strasbourg was to Major Milroy what the name of
Michael Angelo was to Sir Joshua Reynolds. "Mr. Armadale's kindness has
led him to exaggerate a little," pursued the major, smiling at Allan,
and passing over another attempt of Midwinter's to seize on the talk, as
if no such attempt had been made. "But as there does happen to be this
one point of resemblance between the great clock abroad and the little
clock at home, that they both show what they can do on the stroke of
noon, and as it is close on twelve now, if you still wish to visit
my workshop, Mr. Midwinter, the sooner I show you the way to it the
better." He opened the door, and apologized to Midwinter, with marked
ceremony, for preceding him out of the room.

"What do you think of my friend?" whispered Allan, as he and Miss Milroy
followed.

"Must I tell you the truth, Mr. Armadale?" she whispered back.

"Of course!"

"Then I don't like him at all!"

"He's the best and dearest fellow in the world," rejoined the outspoken
Allan. "You'll like him better when you know him better--I'm sure you
will!"

Miss Milroy made a little grimace, implying supreme indifference to
Midwinter, and saucy surprise at Allan's earnest advocacy of the merits
of his friend. "Has he got nothing more interesting to say to me than
_that_," she wondered, privately, "after kissing my hand twice yesterday
morning?"

They were all in the major's workroom before Allan had the chance of
trying a more attractive subject. There, on the top of a rough wooden
case, which evidently contained the machinery, was the wonderful clock.
The dial was crowned by a glass pedestal placed on rock-work in carved
ebony; and on the top of the pedestal sat the inevitable figure of Time,
with his everlasting scythe in his hand. Below the dial was a little
platform, and at either end of it rose two miniature sentry-boxes, with
closed doors. Externally, this was all that appeared, until the magic
moment came when the clock struck twelve noon.

It wanted then about three minutes to twelve; and Major Milroy seized
the opportunity of explaining what the exhibition was to be, before the
exhibition began.

"At the first words, his mind fell back again into its old absorption
over the one employment of his life. He turned to Midwinter (who had
persisted in talking all the way from the parlor, and who was talking
still) without a trace left in his manner of the cool and cutting
com