38 TALES OF PINK AND SILK. 



and in it I could have sworn I saw both my wife and Milner. 

 I ordered my cabman to follow the other hansom, never to 

 lose sight of it, and to stop when it stopped. It pulled up at 

 the Grand Hotel, I leapt out of mine and was just in time to 

 see the couple pass into the entrance hall. It was as I 

 expected. The next day I wrote to both ; I gave the man 

 the offer of a public horsewhipping and a challenge, or to leave 

 England for good ; and the woman the choice of an action for 

 divorce, or a permanent residence in the South of France with 

 a sufficient income allowed her. I informed the latter that 

 she would be carefully watched, and that the slightest cause 

 for scandal would stop the allowance and bring on an action. 

 Both chose a residence abroad, and I changed from the 

 Household Brigade to the Bays. That's my story, Charlie ; 

 it's been an effort to tell it, but as I have left you sole execu- 

 tor, I wanted you to know all. Take my watch and the 

 diamond ring to my mother when you get home. Bless her, 

 she was always opposed to the marriage, but would deny 

 her boy nothing if she thought it would make him happy ; 

 she had set her heart on having Gladys for a daughter, I 

 know." 



Then came a silence. " Are you there, Charlie ? I can't 

 see you. Give me your hand ; and, Dennis, yours too. Look 

 after him, Charlie ; he's been a good lad, though a bit wild." 



Another silence. The surgeon came and looked at his 

 patient, shook his head and passed on. 



Suddenly the wounded man raised himself into a sitting 

 posture. " Hark ! " he said, " the assembly is sounding, I 

 shall Ije late for parade," and then with a cry of " Gladys ! 

 Mother ! " he fell back dead. 



CoUyer dropped his friend's hand with a groan, a long- 

 drawn Irish howl broke from the man Dennis, and just at 

 that moment the bugle sounded the reveille. 



