38 THE MASTER OF THE HOUNDS. 



tion," replied Beaiicliamp. "The greatest provocation "would 

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

 able defence of my own." 



" That's equivocal, William '* 



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

 at any opponent with the aim of shooting him." 



" Oh ! then, I suppose, you are to stand as his target, to be 

 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. Eemember 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 wi-ath ; ' and there are hundreds of the same 

 injunctions throughout the New Testament." 



"I mil 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 ? " 



" 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." 



Yernon had slowly and stealthily approached the back of 

 the sofa where Blanche was sitting, in the hope of overhearing 

 the nature cf her conversation with Beauchamp. 



" Aside the devil turned 

 For envy, yet with jealous leer malign 

 Ey'd them askance." 



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

 honour of Miss Douglas favouring him with the song she had 

 promised at dinner. 



" I made no such promise, Mr, Yernon," was her reply, 

 and he was 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 Yernon turned abruptly away. 



Soon after he was engaged in an animated conversation with 



