istory. And now a heavy
travelling-carriage, loaded with imperials and beset with boxes, was
dragged up to the door by six smoking horses. The courier and the
landlord were immediately in attendance, and after a brief delay the
steps were lowered, and a short, stout man, with a very red face and
a very yellow wig, descended, and assisted a lady to alight. She was a
tall woman, whose figure and carriage were characterized by an air of
fashion. After her came a younger lady; and lastly, moving with great
difficulty, and showing by his worn looks and enfeebled frame the
suffering he had endured, came a very thin, mild-looking man of about
sixty. Leaning upon the arm of the courier at one side, and of his stout
companion, whom he called Doctor, at the other, he slowly followed the
ladies into the house. They had scarcely disappeared when a caleche,
drawn by three horses at a sharp gallop, drew up, and a young fellow
sprang out, whose easy gestures and active movements showed that all
the enjoyments of wealth and all the blandishments of fashion had not
undermined the elastic vigor of body which young Englishmen owe to the
practice of field sports.

"This place quite deserted, I suppose," cried he, addressing the
landlord. "No one here?"

"No one, sir. All gone," was the reply.

Haggerstone's head shook with a movement of impatience as he heard
this remark, disparaging as it was, to his own importance; but he said
nothing, and resumed his walk as before.

"Our Irish friend is gone away, I perceive," said Jekyl, as he looked
around in vain for Dalton. "Do you believe all that story of the estate
he told us?"

"Not a syllable of it, sir. I never yet met an Irishman and it has been
my lot to know some scores of them who had not been cheated out of a
magnificent property, and was not related to half the peerage to boot.
Now, I take it that our highly connected friend is rather out at elbows!"
And he laughed his own peculiar hard laugh, as though the mere fancy
of another man's poverty was something inconceivably pleasant and
amusing.

"Dinner, sir," said the waiter, entering and addressing the Colonel.

"Glad of it," cried he; "it's the only way to kill time in this cursed
place;" and so saying, and without the ceremony of a good-bye to his
companion, the Colonel bustled out of the room with a step intended to
represent extreme youth and activity. "That gentleman dines at two?"
asked he of the waiter, as he followed him