A Novel.
BY
JAMES GRANT,
AUTHOR OF
'THE ROMANCE OF WAR,' 'OLD AND NEW EDINBURGH, ETC.
IN THREE VOLUMES.
VOL. II.
LONDON:
RICHARD BENTLEY AND SON,
Publishers in Ordinary to Her Majesty the Queen.
1881.
[All Rights Reserved.]
CONTENTS OF VOL. II.
CHAPTER
I. 'A WEAK INVENTION OF THE ENEMY'
II. CECIL RECEIVES HIS CONGÉ
III. IN THE PRINCE'S STREET GARDENS
IV. A FRUITLESS TASK
V. THE REGIMENTAL BALL
VI. HEW'S TRIUMPH
VII. 'I HAVE COME FOR YOUR SWORD'
VIII. THE COURT-MARTIAL
IX. A PAGE OF LIFE TURNED OVER
X. GONE
XI. 'THE INITIALS'
XII. TURNING THE TABLES
XIII. BY THE MORAVA
XIV. A MYSTERY
XV. ON DUTY
XVI. THE CASTLE OF PALENKA
XVII. MARGARITA
XVIII. CAPTAIN GUEBHARD
XIX. THE BLACK MOUNTAINEERS
XX. CECIL COMES TO GRIEF
THE CAMERONIANS.
Hew resolved, as before, to lose notime in putting Sir Piers on hisguard; he would give him an'eye-opener,' he thought; and, in hisignorance of military discipline and etiquette,almost conceived that the baronet, as fullcolonel of the regiment, might have powerto issue, perhaps, some very stringent andcrushing order concerning the culprit.
Hew, among other 'caddish' tastes andpropensities, was fond of 'sherry-glassflirtations' at bars and buffets, where shamsmiles are bartered for button-hole flowers,amid bantered compliments and honeyedsmall-talk, not always remarkable for itspurity; and while engaged in one of theselittle affairs, he made the casualacquaintance of Herr Von Humstrumm, theregimental bandmaster, a somewhatobese-looking German, with an enormousmoustache and his scrubby dark hairshorn remarkably short; and from thelatter he drew—or alleged to Sir Piersthat he drew—some account of the familyand antecedents of Cecil Falconer; andwith these he came home highly elated;and whatever the conversation really was,the communications did not suffer diminutionin his relation of them; and he brokethe matter to Sir Piers in a cold, hard, andexultant way, that could scarcely fail tostrike the latter as being, at least,ungenerous.
'I have discovered who and what ourhero is!' said he.
'Our hero—who?'
'Our late visitor and guest, Mr. Falconer.'
'Captain Falconer. Well?'
'I met the bandmaster the other day, ata luncheon-bar, and he told me all abouthim,' continued