rill of
unspeakable horror that was imparted by that shock is still strong
within me. There, my boy, you have my story. I leave the rest to your
imagination."

"The rest? Why, do you mean to say that this is all?"

"All!" cried Jack, with a wild laugh. "All? My dear boy, it is only the
faint beginning; but it implies all the rest."

"What did she say?" I asked, meekly.

"Say--say? What! After--well, never mind. Hang it! Don't drive me into
particulars. Don't you see? Why, there I was. I had made an assault,
broken through the enemy's lines, thought I was carrying every thing
before me, when suddenly I found myself confronted, not by an inferior
force, but by an overwhelming superiority of numbers--horse, foot, and
artillery, marines, and masked batteries--yes, and baggage-wagons--all
assaulting me in front, in flank, and in the rear. Pooh!"

"Don't talk shop, Jack."

"Shop? Will you be kind enough to suggest some ordinary figure of
speech that will give an idea of my situation? Plain language is quite
useless. At least, I find it so."

"But, at any rate, what did she say?"

"Why," answered Jack, in a more dismal voice than ever, "she said, 'Ah,
Jack!'--she called me Jack!--'Ah, Jack! I saw you looking for me. I
knew you would come after me.'"

"Good Heavens!" I cried; "and what did you say?"

"Say? Heavens and earth, man! what could I say? Wasn't I a gentleman?
Wasn't she a lady? Hadn't I forced her to commit herself? Didn't I have
to assume the responsibility and pocket the consequences? Say! Oh,
Macrorie! what is the use of imagination, if a man will not exercise
it?"

"And so you're in for it?" said I, after a pause.

"To the depth of several miles," said Jack, relighting his pipe, which
in the energy of his narrative had gone out.

"And you don't think of trying to back out?"

"I don't see my way. Then, again, you must know that I've been trying
to see if it wouldn't be the wisest thing for me to make the best of my
situation."

"Certainly it would, if you cannot possibly get out of it."

"But, you see, for a fellow like me it may be best not to get out of
it. You see, after all, I like her very well. She's an awfully fine
woman--splendid action. I've been round there ever so much; we've
always been deuced thick; and she's got a kind of way with her that a
fellow like me can't resist. And, then, it's time for me to begin to
think of settling down. I'm getting awfully old. I'll be twenty-three
n