ed face; and he
thought for a moment to himself that the man brought to bay and in
prison might make disclosures which had best be kept secret, and that it
was best not to deal too fiercely with a desperate man.

"Stop," he said, "policeman. I'll speak with this man by himself."

"Do you give Mr. Morgan in charge?" said the policeman.

"I have brought no charge as yet," the Major said, with a significant
look at his man.

"Thank you, sir," whispered Morgan, very low.

"Go outside the door, and wait there, policeman, if you please.--Now,
Morgan, you have played one game with me, and you have not had the best
of it, my good man. No, begad, you've not had the best of it, though you
had the best hand; and you've got to pay, too, now, you scoundrel."

"Yes, sir," said the man.

"I've only found out, within the last week, the game which you have been
driving, you villain. Young De Boots, of the Blues, recognised you
as the man who came to barracks, and did business one-third in money,
one-third in eau-de-Cologne, and one-third in French prints, you
confounded demure old sinner! I didn't miss anything, or care a straw
what you'd taken, you booby; but I took the shot, and it hit--hit the
bull's-eye, begad. Dammy, six, I'm an old campaigner."

"What do you want with me, sir?"

"I'll tell you. Your bills, I suppose, you keep about you in that dem'd
great leather pocket-book, don't you? You'll burn Mrs. Brixham's bill?"

"Sir, I ain't a-goin' to part with my property," growled the man.

"You lent her sixty pounds five years ago. She and that poor devil of an
insurance clerk, her son, have paid you fifty pounds a year ever since;
and you have got a bill of sale of her furniture, and her note of hand
for a hundred and fifty pounds. She told me so last night. By Jove, sir,
you've bled that poor woman enough."

"I won't give it up," said Morgan; "If I do I'm----"

"Policeman!" cried the Major.

"You shall have the bill," said Morgan. "You're not going to take money
of me, and you a gentleman?"

"I shall want you directly," said the Major to X, who here entered, and
who again withdrew.

"No, my good sir," the old gentleman continued; "I have not any desire
to have further pecuniary transactions with you; but we will draw out a
little paper, which you will have the kindness to sign. No, stop!--you
shall write it: you have improved immensely in writing of late, and
have now a very good hand. You shall sit down and writ