e stock-jobber. "If Adolphus had not
broken the rattle I would not have minded the trouble of springing it;
but you are very much mistaken if you think I am going to leave my warm
bed in order to have my throat cut."

"Then give me your pistols," cried Clarence; "I will go alone."

"I shall commit no such folly," said the stock-jobber; "if you are
murdered, I may have to answer it to your friends and pay for your
burial. Besides, you owe us for your lodgings: go to your bed, young
man, as I shall to mine." And, so saying, Mr. Copperas proceeded to
close the door.

But enraged at the brutality of the man and excited by the urgency of
the case, Clarence did not allow him so peaceable a retreat. With
a strong and fierce grasp, he seized the astonished Copperas by the
throat, and shaking him violently, forced his own entrance into the
sacred nuptial chamber.

"By Heaven," cried Linden, in a savage and stern tone, for his blood
was up. "I will twist your coward's throat, and save the murderer his
labour, if you do not instantly give me up your pistols."

The stock-jobber was panic-stricken. "Take them," he cried, in the
extremest terror; "there they are on the chimney-piece close by."

"Are they primed and loaded?" said Linden, not relaxing his gripe.

"Yes, yes!" said the stock-jobber, "loose my throat, or you will choke
me!" and at that instant, Clarence felt himself clasped by the invading
hands of Mrs. Copperas.

"Call off your wife," said he, "or I will choke you!" and he tightened
his hold, "and tell her to give me the pistols."

The next moment Mrs. Copperas extended the debated weapons towards
Clarence. He seized them, flung the poor stock-jobber against the
bedpost, hurried down stairs, opened the back door, which led into the
garden, flew across the intervening space, arrived at the door, and
entering Talbot's garden, paused to consider what was the next step to
be taken.

A person equally brave as Clarence, but more cautious, would not have
left the house without alarming Mr. de Warens, even in spite of the
failure with his master; but Linden only thought of the pressure of time
and the necessity of expedition, and he would have been a very unworthy
hero of romance had he felt fear for two antagonists, with a brace of
pistols at his command and a high and good action in view.

After a brief but decisive halt, he proceeded rapidly round the
house, in order to ascertain at which part the ruffians had ad