nows
nothing about wine. I saw that hogshead lying bung up for eight weeks
before it was drawn off for bottling."

"Why didn't you speak to him about it, then?"

"And be told that I'm not his master, eh? You don't seem to know,
Norcott, that you 've got a houseful of the most insolent servants in
Christendom. Cleremont's wife wanted the chestnuts yesterday in the
phaeton, and George refused her: she might take the cobs, or nothing."

"Quite true," chimed in Eccles; "and the fellow said, 'I 'm a-taking
the young horses out in the break, and if the missis wants to see the
chestnuts, she'd better come with _me_.'**

"And as to a late breakfast now, it's quite impossible; they delay and
delay till they run you into luncheon," growled Hotham.

"They serve me my chocolate pretty regularly," said my father,
negligently, and he arose and strolled out of the room. As he went, he
slipped his arm within mine, and said, in a half-whisper, "I suppose it
will come to this,--I shall have to change my friends or my household.
Which would you advise?"

"I 'd say the friends, sir."

"So should I, but that they would not easily find another place. There,
go and see is the billiard-room lighted. I want to see you play a game
with Cleremont."

Cleremont was evidently sulking under the sarcasm passed on him, and
took up his cue to play with a bad grace.

"Who will have five francs on the party?" said my father. "I 'm going to
back the boy."

"Make it pounds, Norcott," said Hotham.

"I'll give you six to five, in tens," said Cleremont to my father. "Will
you take it?"

I was growing white and red by turns all this time. I was terrified at
the thought that money was to be staked on my play, and frightened by
the mere presence of my father at the table.

"The youngster is too nervous to play. Don't let him, Norcott," said
Hotham, with a kindness I had not given him credit for.

"Give me the cue, Digby; I 'll take your place," said my father; and
Cleremont and Hotham both drew nigh, and talked to him in a low tone.

"Eight and the stroke then be it," said my father, "and the bet in
fifties." The others nodded, and Cleremont began the game.

I could not have believed I could have suffered the amount of intense
anxiety that game cost me. Had my life been on the issue, I do not think
I could have gone through greater alternations of hope and fear than now
succeeded in my heart Cleremont started with eight points odds, and made