10 TRIUMPHE. 17 



but she knew that, to save her a moment's pain, Man- 

 derville would think no sacrifice too great ; she threw 

 herself on the sofa and sobbed convulsively. " Kate," 

 (almost frantically) cried Fred., "my own Kate," 

 and, raising her in his arms, his look show^ed at once 

 she had triumphed, and was forgiven. 



In the small parlour of a house, in a yard surrounded 

 with stables, loose boxes, and the usual accompaniments 

 of a racing establishment, sat two men, the one a 

 stout man, of perhaps fifty, the healthful hue of his 

 countenance, and his hale and robust form, showino- 

 the effects of the bracing morning air, constant exer- 

 cise, and a country life ; beside him stood a tankard 

 of ale, and a liberal supply of tobacco in a huge case 

 from which he had filled a common pipe ; in short, he 

 looked like a man in easy circumstances, with his 

 mind also at ease, and therefore determined to be 

 comfortable. 



The other was some fifteen years his junior ; but 

 his face told of days and nights of anxious thought ; 

 and might have led to the idea that he was scarcely 

 younger than his hale companion. A handsome, but 

 fiash shawl comforter, and a drab Taglioni doubly 

 seamed, with large-sized buttons, hung beside him ; he 

 sported a large gold chain watch-guard, cut velvet 

 waistcoat, and fashionable black surtout ; it was easy 

 to perceive he was not a gentleman in appearance, and 

 there was a suspicious and sinister cast about him, 

 that plainly told he was far from a gentleman in his 

 habits and pursuits. He had arrived from London the 

 same day, in a kind of half break, half match-cart-like 

 buggy, and in it a well-bred horse, in that kind of 

 condition that showed he was always kept " fit to go" 

 for something or other whenever a chance occurred 



VOL. II. c 



