ly; a sudden fierce
rally, a thrust, a lightning riposte and the Major stepped back.

"_Touche!_" he exclaimed, lowering his point. "'Tis a wicked thrust of
yours--that in tierce, Zebedee!"

"'Twas you as taught it me, sir," answered the Sergeant, whipping his
foil to the salute, "same as you taught me my letters, consequently I
am bold to fight or read any man as ever drawed breath."

"You do credit to my method, Sergeant Zeb--especially that trick o' the
wrist--'tis mine own and I think unique. Come again, we have another
ten minutes."

Hereupon they gravely saluted each other, came to the engage and once
more the place echoed to rasping steel and quick-thudding feet. It was
a particularly fierce and brilliant bout, in the middle of which and
quite unobserved by the combatants, the door opened and a young
gentleman appeared. He was altogether a remarkable young gentleman
being remarkably young, languid and gorgeous. A pale mauve coat, gold
of button and rich of braid, its skirts sufficiently full and ample,
seemed moulded upon his slender figure, his legs were encased in long,
brown riding-boots of excellent cut and finish, furnished with jingling
silver spurs, his face exactly modish of pallor, high-nosed and
delicately featured, was set off by a great periwig whose glossy curls
had that just and nicely-ordered disorder fashion required; in his
right hand he held his hat, a looped and belaced affair, two fingers of
his left were posed elegantly upon the silver hilt of his sword the
brown leathern scabbard of which cocked its silver lip beneath his coat
at precisely the right angle; thus, as he stood regarding the fencing
bout he seemed indeed the very "glass of fashion and mould of form" and
unutterably serene.

"Ha!" exclaimed the Sergeant suddenly, "clean through the gizzard,
sir!" and lowering his point in turn he shook his head, "'twould ha'
done my business for good an' all, sir." And it was to be noted that
despite their exertions neither he nor the Major breathed overfast or
seemed unduly over-heated; remarking which the young gentleman
animadverted gently as follows:

"Gad, nunky mine, Gad save my poor perishing sawl how d'ye do it--ye
don't blow and ye ain't sweating----"

The Major started and turned:

"What--nephew!" hastening forward to greet his visitor, "What, Pancras
lad, when did you arrive?"

"Ten minutes since, sir. I strolled up from the 'George and Dragon'
and left my fellows to