Yellowjack； Commander Jaunders； has brought letters and
papers from Coventry Island。 H。 E。 Sir Thomas
Liverseege had fallen a victim to the prevailing fever at
Swampton。 His loss is deeply felt in the flourishing
colony。 We hear that the Governorship has been offered to
Colonel Rawdon Crawley； C。B。； a distinguished Waterloo
officer。 We need not only men of acknowledged
bravery； but men of administrative talents to superintend
the affairs of our colonies； and we have no doubt
that the gentleman selected by the Colonial Office to
fill the lamented vacancy which has occurred at
Coventry Island is admirably calculated for the post which
he is about to occupy。〃
〃Coventry Island！ Where was it？ Who had appointed
him to the government？ You must take me out as your
secretary； old boy；〃 Captain Macmurdo said laughing；
and as Crawley and his friend sat wondering and
perplexed over the announcement； the Club waiter brought
in to the Colonel a card on which the name of Mr。
Wenham was engraved； who begged to see Colonel
Crawley。
The Colonel and his aide…de…camp went out to meet
the gentleman； rightly conjecturing that he was an
emissary of Lord Steyne。 〃How d'ye do； Crawley？ I am
glad to see you；〃 said Mr。 Wenham with a bland smile；
and grasping Crawley's hand with great cordiality。
〃You come； I suppose； from 〃
〃Exactly；〃 said Mr。 Wenham。
〃Then this is my friend Captain Macmurdo； of the Life
Guards Green。〃
〃Delighted to know Captain Macmurdo； I'm sure；〃 Mr。
Wenham said and tendered another smile and shake of
the hand to the second； as he had done to the principal。
Mac put out one finger； armed with a buckskin glove；
and made a very frigid bow to Mr。 Wenham over his
tight cravat。 He was； perhaps； discontented at being put
in communication with a pekin； and thought that Lord
Steyne should have sent him a Colonel at the very least。
〃As Macmurdo acts for me； and knows what I mean；〃
Crawley said； 〃I had better retire and leave you together。〃
〃Of course；〃 said Macmurdo。
〃By no means； my dear Colonel；〃 Mr。 Wenham said；
〃the interview which I had the honour of requesting was
with you personally； though the company of Captain
Macmurdo cannot fail to be also most pleasing。 In fact；
Captain； I hope that our conversation will lead to none
but the most agreeable results； very different from those
which my friend Colonel Crawley appears to anticipate。〃
〃Humph！〃 said Captain Macmurdo。 Be hanged to these
civilians； he thought to himself； they are always for
arranging and speechifying。 Mr。 Wenham took a chair
which was not offered to himtook a paper from his
pocket； and resumed
〃You have seen this gratifying announcement in the
papers this morning； Colonel？ Government has secured
a most valuable servant； and you； if you accept office； as
I presume you will； an excellent appointment。 Three
thousand a year； delightful climate； excellent government…
house； all your own way in the Colony； and a certain
promotion。 I congratulate you with all my heart。 I
presume you know； gentlemen； to whom my friend is
indebted for this piece of patronage？〃
〃Hanged if I know；〃 the Captain said； his principal
turned very red。
〃To one of the most generous and kindest men in the
world； as he is one of the greatestto my excellent
friend； the Marquis of Steyne。〃
〃I'll see him d before I take his place；〃 growled
out Rawdon。
〃You are irritated against my noble friend；〃 Mr。
Wenham calmly resumed； 〃and now； in the name of
common sense and justice； tell me why？〃
〃WHY？〃 cried Rawdon in surprise。
〃Why？ Dammy！〃 said the Captain； ringing his stick
on the ground。
〃Dammy； indeed；〃 said Mr。 Wenham with the most
agreeable smile； 〃still； look at the matter as a man of
the worldas an honest manand see if you have not
been in the wrong。 You come home from a journey； and
findwhat？my Lord Steyne supping at your house in
Curzon Street with Mrs。 Crawley。 Is the circumstance
strange or novel？ Has he not been a hundred times
before in the same position？ Upon my honour and word
as a gentleman〃Mr。 Wenham here put his hand on
his waistcoat with a parliamentary air〃I declare I think
that your suspicions are monstrous and utterly
unfounded； and that they injure an honourable gentleman
who has proved his good…will towards you by a thousand
benefactionsand a most spotless and innocent lady。〃
〃You don't mean to say thatthat Crawley's
mistaken？〃 said Mr。 Macmurdo。
〃I believe that Mrs。 Crawley is as innocent as my
wife； Mrs。 Wenham；〃 Mr。 Wenham said with great
energy。 〃I believe that； misled by an infernal jealousy；
my friend here strikes a blow against not only an infirm
and old man of high station； his constant friend and
benefactor； but against his wife； his own dearest honour；
his son's future reputation； and his own prospects in
life。〃
〃I will tell you what happened；〃 Mr。 Wenham
continued with great solemnity； 〃I was sent for this
morning by my Lord Steyne； and found him in a pitiable state；
as； I need hardly inform Colonel Crawley； any man of
age and infirmity would be after a personal conflict with
a man of your strength。 I say to your face； it was a
cruel advantage you took of that strength； Colonel
Crawley。 It was not only the body of my noble and
excellent friend which was woundedhis heart； sir； was
bleeding。 A man whom he had loaded with benefits and
regarded with affection had subjected him to the foulest
indignity。 What was this very appointment； which appears
in the journals of to…day； but a proof of his kindness to
you？ When I saw his Lordship this morning I found him
in a state pitiable indeed to see； and as anxious as you
are to revenge the outrage committed upon him； by
blood。 You know he has given his proofs； I presume；
Colonel Crawley？〃
〃He has plenty of pluck；〃 said the Colonel。 〃Nobody
ever said he hadn't。〃
〃His first order to me was to write a letter of
challenge； and to carry it to Colonel Crawley。 One or
other of us；〃 he said； 〃must not survive the outrage
of last night。〃
Crawley nodded。 〃You're coming to the point；
Wenham；〃 he said。
〃I tried my utmost to calm Lord Steyne。 Good God！
sir；〃 I said； 〃how I regret that Mrs。 Wenham and myself
had not accepted Mrs。 Crawley's invitation to sup with
her！〃
〃She asked you to sup with her？〃 Captain Macmurdo
said。
〃After the opera。 Here's the note of invitationstop
no； this is another paperI thought I had h； but it's
of no consequence； and I pledge you my word to the
fact。 If we had comeand it was only one of Mrs。
Wenham's headaches which prevented usshe suffers
under them a good deal； especially in the springif we
had come； and you had returned home； there would have
been no quarrel； no insult； no suspicionand so it is
positively because my poor wife has a headache that you
are to bring death down upon two men of honour and
plunge two of the most excellent and ancient families
in the kingdom into disgrace and sorrow。〃
Mr。 Macmurdo looked at his principal with the air
of a man profoundly puzzled； and Rawdon felt with a
kind of rage that his prey was escaping him。 He did not
believe a word of the story； and yet； how discredit or
disprove it？
Mr。 Wenham continued with the same fluent oratory；
which in his place in Parliament he had so often
practised〃I sat for an hour or more by Lord Steyne's
bedside； beseeching； imploring Lord Steyne to forego his
intention of demanding a meeting。 I pointed out to him
that the circumstances were after all suspiciousthey
were suspicious。 I acknowledge itany man in your
position might have been taken inI said that a man
furious with jealousy is to all intents and purposes a
madman； and should be as such regardedthat a duel
between you must lead to the disgrace of all parties
concernedthat a man of his Lordship's exalted station had
no right in these days； when the most atrocious
revolutionary principles； and the most dangerous levelling
doctrines are preached among the vulgar； to create a
public scandal； and that； however innocent； the common
people would insist that he was guilty。 In fine； I
implored him not to send the challenge。〃
〃I don't believe one word of the whole story；〃 said
Rawdon； grinding his teeth。 〃I believe it a d lie； and
that you're in it； Mr。 Wenham。 If the challenge don't
come from him； by Jove it shall come from me。〃
Mr。 Wenham turned deadly pale at this savage
interruption of the Colonel and looked towards the door。
But he found a champion in Captain Macmurdo。 That
gentleman rose up with an oath and rebuked Rawdon
for his language。 〃You put the affair into my hands； and
you shall act as I think fit； by Jove； and not as you do。
You have no right to insult Mr。 Wenham with this sort
of language； and dammy； Mr。 Wenham； you deserve an
apology。 And as for a challenge to Lord Steyne； you
may get somebody else to carry it； I won't。 If my lord；
after being thrashed； chooses to sit still； dammy let him。
And as for the affair withwith Mrs。 Crawley； my
belief is； there's nothing proved at all： that your wife's
innocent； as innocent as Mr。 Wenham says she is； and at
any rate that you would be a dfool not to take the
place and hold your tongue。〃
〃Captain Macmurdo； you speak like a man of sense；〃
Mr。 Wenham cried out； immensely relieved〃I forget
any words that Colonel Crawley has used in the
irritation of the moment。〃
〃I thought you would；〃 Rawdon said with a sneer。
〃Shut your mouth； you old stoopid；〃 the Captain said
good…naturedly。 〃Mr。 Wenham ain't a fighting man； and
quite right； too。〃
〃This matter； in my belief；〃 the Steyne emissary cried；
〃ought to be buried in the most profound oblivion。 A
word concerning it should never pass these doors。 I
speak in the interest of my friend； as well as of Colonel
Crawley； who persists in considering me his enemy。〃
〃I suppose Lord Steyne won't talk about it very
much；〃 said Captain Macmurdo； 〃and I don't see why
our side should。 The affair ain't a very pretty one； any
way you take it； and the less said about it the better。
It's you are thrashed； and not us； and if you are satisfied；
why； I think； we should be。〃
Mr。 Wenham took his hat； upon this； and Captain
Macmurdo following him to the door； shut it upon
himself and Lord Steyne's agent； leavin