red--Lord Tineholme fell immediately--the major remained on his
feet for a second or two, and then sank down on the ground. I hastened
up to him. "Where are you hurt?"

The major put his hand to his hip--"I am hit hard Newland, but not so
hard as he is. Run and see."

I left the major, and went up to where Lord Tineholme lay, his head
raised on the knee of his second.

"It is all over with him, Mr Newland, the ball has passed through his
brain."

PART TWO, CHAPTER SEVEN.

THE MAJOR PAYS THE ONLY DEBT OF CONSEQUENCE HE EVER DID PAY, AND I FIND
MYSELF A MAN OF PROPERTY.

I hastened back to the major, to examine his wound, and, with the
assistance of Timothy, I stripped him sufficiently to ascertain that the
ball had entered his hip, and probing the wound with my finger, it
appeared that it had glanced off in the direction of the intestines; the
suffusion of blood was very trifling, which alarmed me still more.
"Could you bear removal, major, in the coach?"

"I cannot tell, but we must try: the sooner I am home the better,
Japhet," replied he, faintly.

With the assistance of Timothy, I put him into the hackney-coach, and we
drove off, after I had taken off my hat and made my obeisance to Mr
Osborn, an effort of politeness which I certainly should have neglected,
had I not been reminded of it by my principal. We set off, and the
major bore his journey very well, making no complaint; but on our
arrival he fainted as we lifted him out. As soon as he was on the bed,
I despatched Timothy for a surgeon. On his arrival he examined the
wound, and shook his head. Taking me into the next room, he declared
his opinion, that the ball had passed into the intestines, which were
severed, and that there was no hope. I sat down and covered up my
face--the tears rolled down and trickled through my fingers--it was the
first heavy blow I had yet received. Without kindred or connections, I
felt that I was about to lose one who was dear to me. To another, not
in my situation, it might have only produced a temporary grief at the
near loss of a friend; but to me, who was almost alone in the world, the
loss was heavy in the extreme. Whom had I to fly to for solace?--there
were Timothy and Fleta--one who performed the duty of a servant to me
and a child. I felt that they were not sufficient, and my heart was
chilled.

The surgeon had, in the mean time, returned to the major, and dressed
the wound. The major, who had re