Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 108 — page 16: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

7} | | 1, ' ’ eee eae I a — —- Se —— —_ -_ ee ee ee ee ee ee — eee eee ~ ~ * 2--= > —— > s - . Se ee — = —- += = = a, ee eee 2 Se 6 1 ee eee y left, and there had been some talk between lor with some friends. see the captain at once?” ‘No; tell him I’m at Shepherd’s, and that I want to see him as soon as he can come over; | that’s all.” The waiter bowed silent thanks for a second douceur, and went to Captain Lawton, whom - he found in close confabulation with no less a person than Colonel Hamilton. He delivered his message in the proper con- fidential style, and Owen cumuatieed to Hamil- ton in a low, bitter tone: “You see: phe Poo old governor’s losing his hold, He was afraid to come in and see me. By Jove, Hamilton, I’ll call ovt the whole club, man efter man, but what I’ll have satisfaction for this cowardly insult. J’l—” “Botter get through with the one on hand, first,” remarked Hamilton, in a tone of grim Jocularity. **That fellow’s a rattler wiih the oils, I’m told.” “We don’t use the small sword. I have the choice; and I chose sabers. I can cut any in- fernal foreigner that ever wore hair all to pie- ces with that, or I wouldn’t be where I am, now,” Owen Lawton stretched his long limbs and rose up, looking as fine and stalwart a specimen - the British naval oflicer as one would wish see, ** Well, good-by, Hamilton; you'll let mehave | what you promised,” he said, aloud, and the brother Briton nodded compliance with an * Allright, old boy.” Owen lost no time in hurrying to Shepherd’s, where he found his father waiting anxiously in | the smoking-room, whence the two proceeded to a parlor and locked themselves in. *‘ Now, sir, in the first place, please don’t hesi- tate to enter that club to see me, any more,” be- n Owen, with hisarmroundSir Lumley’sneck, ‘You shall come into that club whenever you like, and I’ll pitch the first man out of the win- dow that offers so much as to look askance at ou. I’ve been to the executive committee and sisted that they shall strike the Bord du Nil off the list of club papers; and if that infernal editor dares to say another word on his own re- sponsibility, I'll cut hisears off. Is tht plain?” The tears came into Sir Lumley’s eyes; for the strain of public opprobrium began to tell on him heavily at fifty-five. “God bless you, Owen, God bless you, my ‘Bey, I could stand it for myself, but I tremble if Helen hears any of this.” ‘She needn’t, Tell aunt Lora to keep the Bord du Nil away. That’s the only paper has republished the Times article here. We'll make them sweat for this when we get home.” “Oh, yes, yes, of course,” returned Sir Lum- ley, hastily. ‘*They’ve no sort of ground for an action, Owen; and, besides that, the King’s Bench has no jurisdiction over Indian affairs. It’s a mere ee scheme of some people in England, who think they have got a hold on me in that Krishnapoor business.” * Jf course, sir. I know that. The Ranee’s dead, long ago; isn’t she?” “Of course, Owen. Don’t you see, my boy, theinfernalartfulnessof thiswholescheme? The Ranee’s dead, and Seely some woman of in- e has vot hold of her watch. It was the mate of Lorelia’s, you know. The Rajah‘and I had them made at the same time, and he gave > his to his wife; I mine to my sister. Your poor mother had been dead a few months, then, and | I felt that I cared for nothing more in life. The © whole of this business hangs on those watches, and you'll see it.” Owen nodded, well satisfied. “Of course, sir. No need of giving me any explanation. The Ranee’s dead, and so’s the Rajah’s brat, Kalidasa. 1 only wish we had the money they hid away from us.” **We have some of it, Owen,” observed Sir Lamley, with a chuckle. CHAPTER XXIII. THE CODE OF Honor. dine with you. ment.” “Which direction do you drive, Owen? If you like, I’ll go with “Well I'd rather not. I shall have company, don’t want po gery you to the sun. Yo you.” “Oh, very fended reply; ‘‘as you please, I'll not force my com on you. By the by—” 5 dere Bir J ey turned sharply on his son out: of Din 3 “Why mot, sir? Becanse I dun’t.” — — - -< a e him and the Duke of Diamantina in a private | Would monsieur like | ee sss | he saw LLL LLL LLL LEAL LL LL CLC LLC tt tata , thank you, sir, but on this occasion shall’ and I | u can’t | stand it as | can, sir. | well, Owen,” was the rather of-. a ed The Duke of ee ee we te oe - - - : ** Don’t know him?” , "Nob except for a casual introduction at sea, sir. ‘* A pretty sort of casual introduction, Owen, when he saved your sister’s life. Didn’t you hear the story ?” **Oh, yes, sir. Ishall always be as polite to the duke as our position iu the world requires.” ‘What do you mean?” | ‘“Why, sir, you may be Lord Loughborough any day in the week, as soon as my uncle Owen dies, and I shall be the Hon. Owen Lawton. Surely an English peer’s the equal of any beg- garly Brazilian that ever wore shoe-leather, I hope.” Si Lumley grunted assent to this truly Brit- ish speech and Owen went on: “This life-saving business is all very roman- tic, you know, sir, and all that sort of thing ; but it won’t do to have a parcel of beggarly ar gn dukes coming after my sister, you know: will it? ‘* But, to tell the truth, Owen, this duke’s not a beggar by any means. In fact, he’s quite—” **I know, I know,sir. He has money enough somewhere, and behaves like a gentleman. IL don’t object to associating with him at the club, you know—” ** What were you talking about, then, you and he, at the club?” asked Sir Lumley, sud en- ly remembering the waiter’s story. Owen looked steadily at his father. ‘*T never saw him, sir.” ‘* Never saw him! Why, the club waiter or ou go into a private room with the duke and some of his friends.” ‘The club waiter was drunk or lying, sir. But come, it’s time I was off. Good-by, sir.” ‘‘Owen,” interrupted Sir Lumley, catching his son by the arm, Phe Sy going to fight a duel with the duke. Don’t deny it. I see it plainly. He pretended he’d not seen you, and you pretend you’ve not seen him, when I know you both saw each other. What's it all about?” ‘* What's all what about, sir?” ‘*Come: don’t pretend innocence. I’ve been out myself, young manu. Is it about this club affair?” ‘* No, sir, nothing to do with it.” **TIs it about Helen or me?” ‘“*Nothing of the sort, sir.” “Is it about this watch story” **No, sir. I must say that the duke publicly expressed his belief that the whole story was false, and as publicly announced that he was your friend.” Sir Lumley looked perfectly stunned for a moment, from causes that Owen did not under- stand. ‘Did he say he disbelieved it, and that he was my friend?” ‘*Certainly he did, sir, before Halim Pasha, Hamilton and a dozen others. It was very handsome in him, I must say.” ‘Then what in the name of all that’s won- derful, are you going to fight about, Owen?” ‘‘T’ve not admitted we are going to do any- thing of the kind, sir.” . ‘‘Oh! Confound your honorable code, boy! See ee you differed with Diamantina about! ‘* Well, sir, he took offense at my firing a shot thay hg 9 yacht to bring him to. I pom. pt or it.’ “ Well, that ended it; didn’t it?” °* 2 ee, ir,” ‘Then what else had you to differ about Owen?” ** Helen, sir.” ** Helen!” ‘Yes, sir. He took offenses at my asking Helen to leave the yacht and come aboamwd the Snapper. She didn’t come anyhow; but he in- sisted that my request was a reflection on his homor, and by Jove I couldn’t give him any apology for that, you know, so—’ / ‘You fight to-night: is it so?” asked Sir Lam- ley, eagerly. Owen was silent. Then the elder man went up to the younger and pressed his arm close. “Wert, sir,” observed Owen at this moment, | ; . and Jooking at his watch, ‘‘I fear I can’t | have a litt!e appointment for | the afternoon, and expect a carriage every mo- | | “Where, Owen?” asked his father, in sur- | 8. **Only a drive, sir,” answered the captain, | evasively, ‘I'll be back about half an hour | of Diamantina, fter sunset, surely,” | ‘‘Owen,” he said, in a low, grating voice, you must kill that man.” Owen started. ‘Kill him, sir? Nay, I only mean to slash him a little. Hesaved Helen and my aunt af- ter all. Idon’t want to fight him, to tell the truth; but he insists on it.” ‘* Nevertheless, Owen, you must kill the Duke if you can,” said Sir Lumley, firmly. Owen stared at his father in great surprise, and hesitated for several moments before he an- swered: ‘IT can hardly do that, sir, without creating a scandal. It’s foreign to the Code, you see, and we're fighting strictly on the point of hon- or. ly Lumley uttered a harsh and disagreeable. augh. ‘*Pointsof honor and Codes! Do youwrmemem- ber th it thisis 1877, hoy? What have weto do; snapped | ws didn tell me you knew the Duke Be xe mn Lg vom Wean to say yop raegoIng, mantina®® 5 WO uy Ryley , ome am fa om hh, Diamonds. eee > eae ee ba , j e ithe ee a ee = . - at | a -_—_—— — —- —_——- = ‘* Then what do you mean?” ‘* Simply this, sir. I came to Cairo to meet the duke. If I had not, he would have posted me. He’s the challenger, and I’m going to give him a lesson for forcing a quarrel on me. But I can’t kill him. Remember he saved Helen and aunt Lora. It wouldn’t be the thing, you know.” : . Sir Lumley smiled in a grim and disagreeable way. 7s May I ask then how you're going to gva him the lesson you speak of?” ‘Certainly, sir. I’ve chosen sabers for wea- pons. I never met the man I was afraid to tackle with them, and I intend to give the duke such acut as will keep him from challengii yr any more English officers with their nationul weapon.” The baronet compressed his lips in an ill-tem- pered way. ‘* Well, Owen, all I can say is, you’re a bigger fool than I thought. In a duel, always kill your manif youcan, Good-by.” ‘*Good-by, sir.” Father and son parted a little stiffly. Sir Lumley felt keenly disappointed at his failure to induce his son to commit murder under the guise of a duel, and Owen felt hurt at his fa- ther’s apparent indifference to his danger. The fact was that Sir Lumley did not dare to expose his motive to hisson. He felt as helpless as a prisoner chained to the stake for torture. He dared not tell any one what he knew, that the Duke of Diamantina was young Kealidasa, the rightful Prince of Krishnapoor. To do so would be to acknewledge a foundation for the rumors he was denying so strenuously. LUs- tially did he shrink from letting his children coat the truth. They had always respected him, and he could not bear to forfeit their re- spect. Pte watched Owen in silence as he left the por- lor and went into the street and saw bim enter a waiting carriage and drive away with Colonel Hamilton, the outline of whose tigure he caught through the glass. Thon, full of uneasiness, he strolled away from the hotel, heedless of the sun, buried in his own gloomy thoughts, till he found himself in the bazaars, the only cool place in all Cairo on that scorching day. Here he managed to while away part of the afternoon till the calls of the muezzins from the minarets warned him that the hour for evening prayer was come, and with it the coolness of sunset, which invited him to return to Shep- herd’s. The band was playing in the park of the Ez- bekiah as he came back; the streets were full of east the watering-carts were jolting alons; gyptian beys and pashas were taking their oe canter; and all Cairo was out, when the old diplomat walked back through tio streets to Shepherd’s; almost the only Frank on foot in sight. He caught the glances of more than one of the haughty mounted officers cast on him as they d with an expression of curicsitv, and noticed that he was the subject of comment aryl conversation, which his now morbid faney in- terpreted to his own disadvantage. e hue of his sunburnt face deepened to crimson, and he turned his head angrily away as he trudged on to the hotel; but, once on tle steps, he turned proudly round, asif to face all the world and defy it. As he had expected, be found several Beyj- tian officers looking at and pointing to him es mee passed; for club scandai flies quickly in lenching his hands angrily and looking sternly back at them, every eve turned from his, and the rude equestrians rode on, abashed. Then he heard the rapid patter of hoofs and saw a lady and gentleman on horseback comiug down the street, rather an unusual sight in Cairo till within the last few years. - Something in the outline of the figures struci; him as familiar, and brougkt tho blood fro-, his face to his heart, leaving him of a gray ; ul. lor. Then they dashed by, the gentleman lifting his white helmet bat in the most marked ani stately courtesy, while the lady bowed with equally public recognition to the amazed baro- net. Sir Lumley involuntarily, with the mechani- cal instinct of early breeding, doffed his broad turban hat and stood bareheaded in the sunset, asifa king and queen were passing by. His eyes could not leave them whether he would or no, and he stood staring after them like a man in a dream till they were lost in the crowd of vehicles and equestrians going eastward, It was not yet sunset. Owen had promised to be back by this timo, and yet he was nowhere visible. But the unhappy father had but just seen, with his own eves, his son’s antagonist, tho Duke of Diamantina, alive, unhurt, gay and debonnair, riding by with the Princess Mela- vetros, ay if dnels were things utterly unknown i the world of riches to which they belonge:!. Their anpearance at that momen? smom d ty Heli ow Sir uewnley haawte key the cislimebness ol & Pholopiipi. Lae 7 “GOMIIGDOOKS EGO