would no doubt, but for the prompt interference of O'Donaghue and his own friend, have buried it in the object of his wrath.

Aisy, jewel-aisy," soothingly said the Captain, to the still frantically furious, cursing, and gesticulating Garde-du-Corps.

Aisy, jewel, till I get the marking-irons," added he, opening the well-polished pistolcase, and producing its contents with no little apparent satisfaction.

"Now Staunton, my boy, 'tis your turn," continued the Captain, as he prepared to measure off the ground.

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“No, Captain—many thanks,” said Staunton, quietly taking off his coat and baring his muscular right arm, as he grasped like a plaything, a heavy cavalry sabre. Many thanks for your kind offer, but I mean to have a repetition of the single-stick match with Monsieur;" added he, bowing slightly as he pointed to another broadsword which lay on the ground; and offered to Monsieur de St. Rémy's friend the choice between the two.

Meanwhile the third individual, whom I have before mentioned as having accompanied the adverse party; now stepped from behind the pedestal of the statue; and placing

me on a camp-stool, began to bandage up my wound, which, though bleeding freely, gave me but little pain; so that I could bestow undivided attention to what was now taking place.

"Och! sure, and you're not going to be afther disappinting me, my dear George, when I've taken so much throuble too, to get the 'flutes' in proper order for this duet! Listen to rason, my dear boy," said the Captain, taking him aside, near to the spot where the surgeon was dressing my arm; "here you've every advantage at your command, that d-d fellow's thirsting for your blood; he may yet

do you mischief with thim swourds-bad luck to thim! but with the bull-dogs you're as sure of him, just now, as I am of this pinch of snuff," added the Captain, as he opened the lid of his box.

"You're as cool as a cucumber, and at twelve paces I'd back you to snuff a candle at this moment: whilst after all that chap's ranting and raving, his hand must be so unsteady that he couldn't possibly hit a haystack. Do therefore, my dear boy, listen to the advice of an ould stager, who has only your good at heart!"

Staunton, however, persisting in his original intention, the hostile parties took up their ground.

"Now mind what you're afther, Staunton," said O'Donaghue, ere they crossed weapons; "for that fellow's bent on mischief, and will most likely give you the pint."

Let him give me what he is able," replied the undaunted youth; "but I'll try to give him such a dressing, as he most richly deserves, and which it shall not be my fault, if he do not remember to the last day of his life."

Without further preliminary, the combat now commenced by a most furious onslaught on the part of Monsieur de St. Rémy; but Staunton remained wholly on the defensive; he slowly retired, repelled, and parried every attack with the most admirable science, coolness, and self-possession; until after allowing his adversary to exhaust himself by his own violence, he became in his turn the assailant, and making a masterly feint at his opponent's thigh, with the quickness of lightning, swept his sword across the face of St. Rémy; thereby inflicting a most ghastly wound, which extending from the forehead to the chin, bid fair to disfigure him for life.

The seconds now interfered; the affair, without any further explanation given or received, was brought to a close; and leaving Monsieur de St. Rémy in the hands of the surgeon, we hastened from the field.

"And sure, Staunton," said the Captain with a deep sigh, "if you'd only followed my advice, you'd have settled the fellow's hash much more effectually, than by all this ugly butchering, which turns a gentleman's stomach to behold: one little touch of the trigger, and a nate little bullet is sent dacently and quietly through a poor fellow's head, and gives him his quiatus, without cruelly disfiguring him, as you have done for life."

That, my dear Captain," said Staunton, smiling, "is just the sort of quietus I wished to avoid; whatever the provocation received, I should deeply regret to deprive a fellowcreature of life; whereas, I have now given the gentleman a lesson he will carry to the grave, and which I trust, will tend to render him rather less quarrelsome for the time to come."

CHAPTER XIV.

CHATHAM BARRACKS.

"To change the irksome theme, then hear of vice."

My hurt, which proved to be a mere flesh-wound, gave me little inconvenience; however, it was impossible to conceal how it had happened; and the gentleman, under whose auspices we were studying, soon became acquainted with the occurrence, which indeed, was the talk of the whole town.

He, however, made no comments on the matter, but only expressed his regret that such a thing should have taken place, as it would, he said, render it expedient for both Staunton and myself to quit his establishment with the least possible delay; nor did we find fault with this decision, for it could not be denied, that of late, we had certainly