Major Vigoureux

glected garden, had been exposing a great quantity of back-view (for he was a long man), straightened himself up,

Proprietor,"

few yards higher up the slope, laid down his book, took off hi

" His face had reddened a little, as it us

ant Archelaus, curtly. "You don't mean to s

d Proprietor has no right to be offering presen

. 'Tisn't regulation pattern for the R'yal Artillery, I'll grant you: not the sort of things you'd wear on

s; not to mention that they

wn," said Archelaus, after a moment's thoug

you can say in

candal-yes, be sure. What with sea-water and scrambling after

not for the first tim

his clothes la

ried man, and gets hi

nd put in a patch or two? That might carry you on for a few months, and

taken the edge off these things, and don't want to begin over again. Last Wednesday I wore 'em over to the Off Islands, to practise 'em on the sea-birds; and last evening after dusk I walked

could not trust himself to speak; and, after a minute, cramming his clenched fists into the pockets o

him?-purposely making him and his garr

verlooked the sea. He wanted to be alone, and up here he could count upon solitude. He wanted to walk off his ill-humour. Bu

y clear, you may see them from the cliffs of the mainland-a low, dark cloud out in the Atlantic; and in old days the Commanda

imes as The Commandant, but oftener as The Governor. (They never called him The Governor nowadays.) His military establishment, to be sure-consisting of a master-gunner, four other gunners,

thin the circuit of the said Isles; and all lands, tenements, meadows, pastures, grounds, feedings, fishing places, mines of tin, lead, and coals, and all profits of the same, and full power to dig, work, and mine in the premises; and also all the marshes, void grounds, woods, under-woods, rents, reservoirs, services, and all other profits, rights, commodities, advantages, and emoluments within the said Isles; and a moiety of all shipwreck, the other moiety to be received by the Lord High Admiral; as also all His Majesty's Liberties, Franchise

ch the Commandant for the time being invariably presided. But this custom (it should be explained) rested on courtesy and not upon right. Based upon compromise-for the boundaries between the civil and military jurisdictions were at some points not precisely determined-it had been fou

ice carried no salary; but as Governor under the Lord Proprietor he enjoyed a valuable perquisite in the harbour dues collected from the shipping. Every vessel visiting the port or hoisting the Queen's colours was liable, on coming to anchor or grounding, to pay the sum of two shillings and two pence. All foreigners

ut they were few. By the rest of the population, including his soldiers, he was beloved, respected, not a little envied. For a bachelor he mingled with zest in the small social amusements of Garland Town, the capital of the Islands. He shone at picnics and water-parties. He played a fair hand at whist. His manner towards ladies was deferential; towards men, dignified without a trace

Everyone took it for granted that he would apply, as his predecessors had twice applied, for a renewal. But, no; like a bolt from the blue came news that the Duke, an old ma

title being of more recent-or, as she put it, of mushroom-creation, the curious had to wait until a newer volume arrived from the mainland. Meanwhile, at their whist parties twice a week, the gentry of Garland Town indulged in a hundred brisk surmises, but without alarm-"unconscious of their doom,

rom Sir C?sar, continuing Mr. Pope in his office-gratified everyone. But the second was

er, five years ago. It whitened yet at the remembrance

s linen frayed but a frayed coat also; and that he who of old had so often wished that England would take note of his Islands against the western sun, now prayed rather that the fogs would cover them and cut them off from sight forever. He had practical reasons, too, for such a prayer; but of these he was not thinking as he turned there by the windmill, and spied Sergeant Treacher approach

what are yo

eskit, sir?" a

a wai

t Miss Gabriel had it made up for me, all the

ches wide, of scarlet, green, orange-yellow, and violet. For years-in fact ever since he

g on, and the winter coming, it would cut u

he Commandant, "Miss Ga

ested Treacher,

u will take it off this i

"I don't like the thing myself; it's too noticeable,

iracy!" said