ut only half of it. I did my
best to keep the duel a secret, but it finally came out. It was the
topic in the clubs, for Hillars had been well known in political and
literary circles. But in a month or so the affair, subsided. The
world never stops very long, even when it loses one of its best friends.

One late October morning I received a note which read:

"JOHN WINTHROP:

"Dear Sir--I am in London for a few days, homeward bound from a trip to
Egypt, and as we are cousins and 'orphans too,' I should like the
pleasure of making your acquaintance. Trusting that I shall find you
at leisure, I am,

"Your humble servant,

"PHILIP PEMBROKE."

"Ah," said I; "that Louisianian cousin of mine, who may or may not live
the year out," recalling the old lawyer's words. "He seems to hang on
pretty well. I hope he'll be interesting; few rich men are. He writes
like a polite creditor. What did the old fellow say was the matter
with him? heart trouble, or consumption? I can't remember." I threw
the note aside and touched up some of my dispatches.

Precisely at ten o'clock the door opened and a man came in. He was
fashionably dressed, a mixture of Piccadilly and Broadway in taste. He
was tall, slender, but well-formed; and his blonde mustache shone out
distinctly against a background of tanned skin. He had fine blue eyes.

"Have I the pleasure of speaking to John Winthrop of New York?" he
began, taking off his hat.

I rose. "I am the man."

He presented his card, and on it I read, "Philip Pembroke."

"Philip Pembroke!" I exclaimed.

"Evidently you are surprised?" showing a set of strong white teeth.

"Truthfully, I am," I said, taking his hand. "You see," I added,
apologetically, "your family lawyer--that is--he gave me
the--er--impression that you were a sickly fellow--one foot in the
grave, or something like. I was not expecting a man of your build."

The smile broadened into a deep laugh, and a merry one, I thought,
enviously. It was so long since I had laughed.

"That was a hobby of the old fellow," he replied. "When I was a boy I
had the palpitation of the heart. He never got rid of the idea that I
might die at any moment. He was always warning me about violent
exercises, the good old soul. Peace to his ashes!"

"He is dead?"

"Yes. When I took to traveling he all but had nervous prostration. I
suppose he told you about that will I made in your favor. It was done
to please him. St