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8 THE MASTER OF THE HOUKDS. 



tion," replied Beaucliamp. "The greatest provocation would 

 never induce me to take any man's life, unless in the unavoid- 

 able defence of my own." 



" That's equivocal, William " 



" Then, is this plain enough 1 I will never deliberately fire 

 at any opponent with the aim of shooting him.' - ' 



" 01] ! then, I suppose, you are to stand as his target, to he 

 murdered in cold blood ; but you are deceiving yourself, not 

 me, William, in this fine-drawn distinction. No person has a 

 right rashly to throw his life away, since it is God's loan, and 

 He only has the right to dispose of it. Itemember His com- 

 mands on this point — ' At the hand of every man's brother 

 will I require the life of man.' Again, ' Let not the sun go 

 down upon your wrath ; ' and there are hundreds of the same 

 injunctions throughout the New Testament." 



"I will consider well your objections, dear Aunt Gordon, 

 although I believe you are quite right." 



" Then why hesitate to follow the promptings of your own 

 conscience 1 " 



" There is a listener/' he whispered, " who would not be 

 slow to avail himself of my confessions." 



"Ah ! I see — we will change the subject." 



Vernon had slowly and stealthily approached the back of 

 the sofa where Blanche was sitting, in the hope of overhearii:.; 

 the nature :f her conversation with Beaucliamp. 



" Aside the devil turned 

 For envy, yet with jealous leer malign 

 Ey'd them askance." 



Leaning on the back of the sofa, Vernon now requested the 

 honour of Miss Douglas favouring him with the song she had 

 promised at dinner. 



"I made no such promise, Mr. Vernon," was her reply, 

 and he w T as again urging his suit, with flattering persua- 

 sions, when Mrs. Gordon, seeing Blanche annoyed with his 

 importunities, interfered, saying her niece was very far from 

 well, and she had laid an interdiction upon her singing that 

 evening. 



"I could scarcely expect," he retorted, with a sneer, "to 

 detach Miss Douglas from such delightful society." 



" Except by the aid of an Ant-eater," replied Mrs. Gordon ; 

 on which Vernon turned abruptly away. 



Soon after he was engaged in an animated conversation with 



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