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tion languishes while the viands disappear. Pudding, cheese, and Vanilla ice, with a dash of cherry-brandy over it, follow. Then the cloth is removed, and cheroots and a light are placed on the table; while a khitmutgar arranges on a tray, at Thorney's right hand, the materials for making a good cup of coffee.

their teeth, and darting to the utmost limits the phrase. It does not do to make the beer of their chains, to try if by any good-fortune too cold; over-iced beer is "flat, stale, and unthey may succeed in tasting one mouthful of profitable.”` We are all hungry, so conversathe intruders, she sits still on her haunches, and never moves; she does not even wag her tail when Thorney speaks to her; but her head a little stretched out- - is fixed, and she pins us with her unwinking eyes! She knows 1 that she is chained, and that it is ineffectual kicking against the pricks. But I feel, and I am sure Nicholas beside me feels, that if, by any invisible power, the chain which holds were silently reduced to powder, she would know it instinctively the very instant it was done, and the next would see her flying at our throats.

While we are looking at the dogs, and thinking of these things, MacErin, the fourth of our party, drives up to the door, and joins us in the veranda. He is a fine, tall, handsome young fellow, of six feet and half an inch or more; but as, when he joined the regiment six years ago, he was only five feet nothing or thereabouts (he shot up to his present altitude, not in one night, like the bean-stalk of our childhood, but in the course of an attack of low wasting fever, which brought him to the brink of the grave, and sent him on sickcertificate to England), he acquired the nickname of "Little Mac," which, in spite of its present unfitness, he is still called by every one in the regiment, from the senior captain down to Algernon Marmaduke Plantagenet Scabbard de Scabbard, the junior cornet (distantly connected, as he tells us, with the reigning family), who has himself to get on an elevation when he wishes to draw his sword.

The river flows, as I have said, close under the house; that is to say, you could" hench," as Scotch boys say, a stone into it from the veranda. Through the open doors I can see its gleam and glitter, and the small grass-huts of some miserable dwellers on an island not a

rifle-shot off. Lazily puffing the smoke out
of my mouth, I lie back in my chair, and
placidly watch the eternal tranquil flow of
the noiseless stream. What a divine feeling
of happy indolence there is in watching a
silent river flow-flow-flowing on,
"for
ever and for ever ! as Tennyson says.
had my will, I would always live on the banks
of one; not a brawling, noisy, impertinent,
gabbling mountain-torrent, but a deep, sullen
river, in whose very silence there is a sense
of power.

If I

In the last cantonment at which the regiment was stationed, I had a house on the banks of the Ganges. I was very ill then for a long time, and for days and days I have lain on a couch placed in a sort of bower - what the Portuguese call a mirante - overhanging it; so that now, when I see such a river, I always recall Longfellow's Lines to the River Charles, which I then learned to appreciate; especially the verse:

"Oft, in sadness and in illness,

I have watched thy current glide, Till the beauty of its stillness Overflowed me like a tide."

While Little Mac is declaring that he would * prefer being cast into a den of lions, to being thrown in among these rampaging roaring pets of Thorney's, because the torture of the pain of death would be shorter, tiffin is announced. We take our places at the small oval table, My thoughts have wandered away from the in the dark cool dining-room; and there being society I am in; but I am awakened from my no soup, the covers are at once removed. day-dream by hearing Nicholas ask Thorney if The usual delicacies of the season are before he has a rifle; " for it is a sweet spot for rifleius -hermetically sealed salmon, roast-fowl, practice, this," as he truly says. But Thorcutlets and Irish stew, with potatoes in the ney has none- -only two smooth-bores; and centre, and curry and rice at the angles; for smooth-bore shooting is so uncertain, that many people in India dine in the middle of there is not much satisfaction in it. But the the day, although the meal is called tiffin, and mention of fire-arms directs the conversation have tea and coffee only in the evening. For into a sporting channel, and I am fast falling fluids, we have iced Madeira and Allsopp's again into dreamy reminiscences of the past, Pale Ale, "with the chill off" really, and when I am attracted by seeing a native, with not according to any slang interpretation of a bundle on his head, wading into the stream.

"Hallo! Thorney," I say; "this surely, river, and one of Colvin, Cowie & Co.'s best under the house, can't be the main branch, for there's a fellow trying to ford it."

Manillas in my mouth, it is not unpleasant; and for one moment a gleam of sunshine rests on this Mangrowlee, which I hate so bitterly. Suddenly, however, we hear a terrific row in the compound-shouts, screams and curses. "What's that?" cries little Mac eagerly, all intent on some diversion or excitement.

No, it is n't," says Thorney, "the main stream is beyond the island; but it is very deep in parts here." I still regard my wading friend with lazy interest; on he goes, looking straight before him, with one hand steadying his bundle, and with the other "O, nothing," says the most phlegmatic steadying himself with the help of a long pole. of the party-myself; "only a horse got He sways his body from right to left as he loose, I suppose;" for I feel as if only an takes long strides through the water: now it earthquake should move me now. But it's is up to his waist; now up to his arm- more than a loose horse. We are inundated pits; now it has reached his neck. "He'll in a moment by a flood of affrighted servants have to turn back," I exclaim; "the river-staring, horror-stricken, and O, so voluble! must have risen since he come over to the It is of no use asking them to speak one at a main land." (I have known the Ganges rise as much as fourteen feet in one night.) No; he's all right! One step more, and I see his shoulders reäppear; and in a few minutes more, he is shaking himself dry like a dog in front of the grass-huts before alluded to.

time, or quietly, or slowly. But in the midst of their uproar and gabble, we all start from our chairs, for we have heard enough. They talk of murder. By degrees, and from halfa-dozen sources, we soon gain the whole truth: it is the common domestic tragedy of India. Thorney's bheestie, jealous of his wife, with reason or without reason, has cut her into pieces with his tulwar, and is now running a

"I wonder he's not afraid of alligators. Are there none of the blunt-nosed fellows here?" I ask Thorney. "No; I fancy they only have the ghur-muck among the servants' houses. Another eeal as high as this. The other abounds below."

I have given the conversation another twist; and now every one tells a story of the ferocity of Indian alligators, till one's blood runs cold. One I recollect. A friend of Thorney's was once watching a grass-cutter crossing a nullah, just as the man I have mentioned was doing. Suddenly he threw up his arms above his head, and gave utterance to one long piercing shriek; he had been seized by a crocodile. For a few seconds, he was seen, waist-deep, sailing swiftly and smoothly up against the current, like the ship of the Ancient Mariner,

"Moved onward from beneath; and then, still screaming, slowly and gradually subsiding below the surface, which veiled the rest of the tragedy.

"Come out into the veranda," says Thorney, "after that horrible tale; the sun is going down, and it is cooler there."

Chairs and teapoys are placed outside, and we moisten our clay after the hot and heating coffee with iced brandy and water. As for me, I light a fresh cheroot, tilt my chair on its hind-legs, and fix my feet on one of the stuccoed pillars about on a level with my eyes -American fashion. With my eyes on the

man comes in to tell us that the assassin has cut down Thorney's khitmutgar, who tried to stop him, and is now bolting across the compound, to get down to the river.

In a moment we are all scattered: Thorney goes to see the woman and the khitmutgar; Nicholas gallops off like a madman for the magistrate and the police, or for a guard of soldiers; while Little Mac and I, hastily snatching at anything in the shape of a stick or bludgeon, rush off in pursuit of the mur derer. As usual in such cases, he had prepared himself for the perpetration of the deed by taking drugs beforehand - opium, or, more probably, the dried leaves of hemp-and either from that cause, or from the generally confused state of mind he was in, he had made a dash to the wrong end of the compound. When he tried to effect his escape, there was a high mud-wall between him and the banks of the river. If he had had time, he could have climbed over it easily; but his pursuers were close behind, and he saw at once that they would catch him at a disad vantage if he turned his back and attempted to get over it in front of them. When we reached the spot, he was standing at bay, not close to the wall, yet not very far from it; and all the servants of the doctor's establish

ment, and all of the neighboring establish- Mac stops short, and we remain in our rel

ments, were in a semicircle round him. Many of them were armed with`sticks; but although they could undoubtedly have seized him by making a simultaneous rush upon him, still one or more would certainly have paid the penalty of the daring act, for the fellow was evidently determined to sell his life dearly. When we saw the aspect of affairs, and thought of the khitmutgar whom he had already wounded, neither Little Mac nor I could well blame them.

ative positions for a second or two, thinking what is to be done. It is true we could both together make a rush, and one of us might escape without a wound, but it is not probable; and our friends at home would not care to be told that the blue scar commencing at the roots of our hair, dividing our nose, and giving us a hare-lip, was received in attempting to capture a felon. Que diable allait-il faire dans cette galère?" they would say, and with reason; so if the thing is to be done at all, it must be done cleverly.

66

My thoughts revert to my school-days, and the book which, with the wit and caustic severity peculiar to that period of life, we used to call "Adams' Roman Iniquities.' I recollect there was a class of gladiators called Retiarii, who bore in their left hands a three

The natives of Hindostan invariably look up to Europeans of every rank for guidance and direction in all difficult circumstances; so, on our approach, way was instantly made for us to a front place, and every one seemed to consider that the crisis was at hand. As the elder, and as knowing more of the natives and the native language than Little Mac, I natur-pointed lance, and in their right a net, which ally took the lead, either for fighting or negotiation. The last I tried first.

they cast over the heads of their adversaries. When they had entangled them in its folds, "You scoundrel!" I began; "what is they jobbed them to death, as a fisherman this you 've been about? You've murdered does a large dogfish or a conger-eel. "O your wife; what are you going to do now?" why," I think for one bitter moment, was I kept my eyes fixed on him as I spoke, and there not something practical mixed with my held myself ready for a spring upon him, or education at the Edinburgh Academy? Why for self-defence, in case he should attack me, - why in the Yards' were we not exercised for I saw by his bloodshot eyes, tangled hair, in the games of the Secutores and the Retiand excited manner, the state of intoxication arii under a proper Lanista? What an opporhe was in; and I knew he was equal to any-tunity this would have been for putting in thing-even to that greatest daring of all, practice the lessons of our youth!" Vain the assaulting a European officer. His tulwar regret! I have no net, and if I had, I should was in his hand, still dripping blood. more probably entangle myself than the truculent bheestie.

"What is to be done? It was her fate. She was faithless, and I have revenged myself. Let me go."

66

No, no, my fine fellow; you don't go yet awhile. Mao," I continued in English, with my eyes still fixed on the murderer's, and in a mere casual way, as if it was a thing of no importance I was communicating- 'Mac, get behind him if you can, and try whether you can dash in upon him and take him by surprise." It won't do! Whether Mac moves off too hastily or not, I don't know, for I dare not look round; but I see that "my fine fellow" is better up to flank-movements than Liprandi, and is not to be caught in that way. He turns round, half-facing us both, but with his eyes, one of them at least, still on me, and says slowly and deliberately: "Sahib," for he still speaks quite respectfully to us, though sullenly- "" - Sahib, if you attempt to get be

Suddenly an inspiration, like a flash of light, darts into my brain. Venom! how could I forget her? The dogs-only let them loose to distract the villain's attention, and we can seize him in an instant. In the same way as before, with my eyes still fixed on my adversary's, and as if it was another casual piece of information, I pass the word to Mac. He slips out of the crowd, and goes toward the house; but not without my friend's noticing his disappearance. I don't think he has any idea of what he has gone for; but he knows that, whatever it is, it bodes him no good. It is "miching mallecho " - it means mischief, and he gets restless accordingly. I feared this; and I see, or suspect I see, that he is preparing for a rush. That would never do, so I must gain time: I must parley with him again.

"Listen. Why don't you give up your

sword, and surrender yourself to justice? You | Venom, as it appears to me, is in doubt which are only making matters worse by this con- is the criminal. I cannot take my eyes off duct. You have desperately wounded, per- the bheestie, but from a corner I can see her haps killed, the doctor's khitmutgar; if you charging straight at me, and I wish to Heaven murder one or two more, do you think you I were wearing something thicker round my can escape being hung?" neck than a ribbon-tie. But the murderer

to buy up half-a-dozen false witnesses, that I now, let us make ourselves comfortable again, would not believe in her crime on the mere for all that running about is warm work in testimony of his perjured associates. Anyhow, she was a woman, and is dead; so we may say of her, as of Hood's' unfortunate:' "Touch her not scornfully,

Here, bearer, bring brandy and water for the slowly homewards together, thoughtful and gentlemen, and cheroots and a light. And, silent.

AMONTILLADO. - This wine was first imported | date of Watts' advertisement, as they refer to into England about the year 1811, and the supply was so small, that the entire quantity was only sufficient for the table of three consumers, who speedily became attached to it, and thenceforward drank no other sherry. One of these was His Royal Highness the late Duke of Kent; and another, an old friend of one who now ventures from a distant recollection to give an account of its origin.

ARTIFICAL TEETH. A correspondent inquires what is the date of the introduction of artificial "On a sudden," thus writes Pliny the natteeth into England or Europe? and refers to an uralist, Charmis of Marseilles invaded Rome; advertisement of John Watts, 66 Operator, who and he not only arraigned her former physicians, applies himself solely to that business," in 1709. but her baths also, persuading people to wash I cannot answer your correspondent's inquiry, during the sharpest frosts of winter. He dipped but it suggested to my memory two passages in his patients in the lakes. We have seen superBen Jonson's play of the Silent Woman, which annuated consuls making a show of their shiverfirst appeared in 1609, and which consequently ings. There is no doubt that, by this novelty of carry back the evidence of the use of artificial theirs, the physicians wished to bamboozle us teeth in England more than a century beyond the | all.'