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way affect my sovereign rights over that country. I don't know what his arguments were, for I was so angry I could not listen to them, especially as I was trying to smile as amiably all the time as he was. By Allah! how that man gets on my nerves, especially since his visit to Ethiopia! Have you assured Toothpik of our imperial favour just in the degree in which he refuses to adopt any of these so-called institutions, or introduce any of these so-called reforms?”

"I have, your Majesty; and he is much encouraged by the signal honour which your Majesty has already conferred upon him. I am not without hope of discovering many ways by which the position of Albinia in Ethiopia may be rendered disagreeable; and in the meantime, I have again called the attention of the friendly Powers, and especially of Muscovia and Gallinia, to the protocole de désintéressement.”

"You heard me make Lord Noduffer the usual promises in regard to reform in Vaninia," said his Majesty, changing the subject. "You will of course see that they are carried out in the usual way."

"I have already applied to his Excellency for a copy of the Erinian Coercion Bill," replied the Wuzeer, without raising his eyes, and giving himself a little hitch back in his chair, "and for any other repressive Acts of a similar character which have been found useful by the Albinian Government in the magnificent scheme of reform which it is now applying to Erinia, and I have promised to imitate as closely as possible the course which has been pursued in restoring peace, happiness, and tranquillity to that interesting country, and he has promised to send them to me as soon as he reaches Albinia."

"Have you heard from Worser Pasha since his arrival in Phoenicia ?"

"Not yet, your Majesty; but I have, as your Majesty is aware, a better source of information in regard to the intrigues of Gallinia in that province than even he is ever likely to be;" and a look of inexpressible cunning flitted over the impassive countenance of the little man.

"You managed to finesse that appointment very well," said the Mogul; "I don't think the Gallinians will take much by it. Verily, when I think of the presumption of Albinia, with Erinia on her hands, denouncing the state of Vaninia to me-and Gallinia, which parades her infidelities at home, using religion as a cloak under cover of which she may stir up my subjects to revolt-I am at a loss to decide which country is the most glaringly hypocritical."

"It is the vice of Christian nations," assented the Wuzeer; "your Majesty will remember that it was in the interests of religion that several millions of your Majesty's subjects were exterminated by war, disease, and starvation, when Muscovia invaded your empire as the champion of the Cross. Allah has provided dynamite in all these countries as a punishment for their hypocrisy," he added timidly, and bowed his head.

There was a pause, and the Mogul regarded the Wuzeer with great tenderness, for the suggestion was pleasing to him.

"Inshallah," he said at length, "you are a pious man with a ready wit; I see now that the faithful have nought to fear from these infernal contrivances which Allah reserves for the infidels who attack them. What news have you of the viper Ethiop whom the Albinians are nursing in their

bosom at Taprobane? how prosper his intrigues in the Holy City of the Prophet?"

The conversation now became of a most confidential character, relating to plots and conspiracies

which I was afraid even to confide to my telephone, but which convinced me that the faithful may run other risks than those arising from dynamite; perhaps they also have special sins for which a special punishment is provided: and while I was thus moralising, I was irresistibly reminded of Mr Sadstone, and here again I found myself compelled to overhear a conversation which it would be a breach of propriety to report. It was a few moments before I could catch the meaning of the inarticulate murmur which came through the instrument; but when I did, I was riveted by the interest of what I heard. An argument was in progress between the speaker and what seemed to be his conscience, in regard to a question of morals. Of course I could not make out what his conscience said, but Mr Sadstone's replies I heard at last with great distinctness; and I must say, so far as clearness and logic were concerned, he had much the best of it. In fact, so convincing were the reasons he adduced in support of his view of the matter, that his inward opponent seemed to withdraw discomfited from the discussion; but this may only have been in consequence of the entry of Mr Clamberalong, who wanted to know, after all that had been said upon the subject, how he was to justify in his next speech to his constituents a military occupation of Ethiopia which bade fair to be indefinite.

"I should recommend you," said Mr Sadstone, "to remove the question altogether from the sphere of politics, and elevate it into the

come

region of abstract morality. We are not in Ethiopia because the interests of Albinia or the maintenance of her prestige require it. For, as I have repeatedly said in public, the interests of Albinia are never served by wars of aggression, while the maintenance of her prestige is a delusion and a snare, for which neither blood nor treasure should be expended; but there are occasions when a great moral duty towards other nations is imposed upon us, when we may bethe custodians of public order, the instruments of a divine necessity. We are now in Ethiopia, not for our own selfish ends, but in the interest of the Ethiopians, as Lord Noduffer has so ably explained in his despatch; and so long as that interesting race, the oppressed Fellahin, require the presence of Albinian troops in the country, we are bound by the highest instincts of humanity to remain there. Νο constituency is more ready to respond to an appeal involving sacrifices in behalf of their fellowcreatures of whatever nationality

always, of course, excepting Seljukians—than is yours, my dear Clamberalong. That is a chord which is certain always to vibrate among the ignorant masses either to your eloquence or mine. You should always explain that no promises which may have been made, or assurances which may have been given, prior to our discovery of the fact that we had become the instruments of a great divine necessity, are of any value."

"I am quite aware of that," replied Mr Clamberalong. "You remember how ably I justified the abandonment of our convention, and of the Hottentotian tribes of South Africa, upon this ground, in my late speech in the House?"

"I can't say I do remember

your putting it on this ground. In fact, if my memory serves me, you put it purely on the ground of national interest and expenditure, and I felt rather shocked."

"Well," retorted Clamberalong, "I could not put it on the oppressed fellow-creature ground, because it is the oppressed fellowcreature we are abandoning in that case. The fact is, that Noduffer had no business to play such a trick upon the great Radical party as to invent liberal institutions, and introduce a system of reform into Ethiopia, involving a permanent military occupation. It puts us all in a false position."

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I don't regard it in that light at all," responded his chief. "I never felt in a less false position in my life. I feel convinced the country likes it; and it is the sentiment of the country at large that I have to consider, and not the opinions and theories of what you call the great Radical party."

"If we continue on this course much longer," rejoined Mr Clamberalong, rather hotly, "allow me to remark that you will soon have to choose between the great Radical party and what you call 'the country.' Just look at the mess we have got into with the Infidel Relief Bill, through not being consistent."

"On the contrary; it was because we tried to be consistent that we incurred this disaster. There, if you like, I feel myself in a false position; but that arises from a somewhat improper, I might almost say immoral, effort, which we made to achieve consistency. So long, my dear Clamberalong, as you fail to perceive the infinite variety of political and moral per

meations of which every question is susceptible, and continue, as you so constantly do, to grovel in the concrete, when you might rise to the abstract-so long as you attempt in politics what no man has ever succeeded in doing in religion, to reconcile profession with practice, so long will you continue to be the victim of disappointment and delusion. Mark my words,"-and here Mr Sadstone's voice acquired a portentous and prophetic solemnity,"the day will come when you will find that even the caucus is but a broken reed; but," he added, more cheerfully, "I think it will last my time."

"Then may you long be spared to us," said Mr Clamberalong, fervently; and I felt quite relieved at this amicable termination to a discussion which at one moment threatened to produce a rupture which might have led to serious consequences. I had gathered enough, however, to make me feel somewhat uneasy in regard to the unity of sentiment which pervaded the Albinian Cabinet; and I trust that this little exposure of its weakness will not be deemed an indiscretion on my part, but may serve rather as a warning at a period of general political disturbance, which, it is evident, is in the highest degree critical, not only in Albinia, but in all those several countries which have been caught in the great Ethiopian trap, and to which, through telephonic agency, I have had access. If, in spite of these revelations, statesmen and potentates continue wilfully blind, it will ever be a consolation to me to feel that I am free from all responsibility in the matter.

THE MILLIONAIRE.-PART IV.

CHAPTER XIII.-THE MINE PREPARED.

MRS TILTOFF was not the woman to let the grass grow beneath her feet when she was pursuing any object which had thoroughly aroused her interest. She knew perfectly well that in this, as in every other matter of importance which had arisen since her marriage, she would have to depend entirely upon her own resources and energies. There are some men who leave all the business of life to be managed by their wives; and, in fortunate cases, the result justifies them in so doing, for they get it uncommonly well done. It must be confessed that if Captain Tiltoff had made up his mind from the outset to be guided entirely by his wife in all his affairs, he would have acted wisely; but so far as the management of money was concerned, he unfortunately preferred to consult his own judgment. As there happened to be no such thing as judgment in the equipment with which he had started in life, and as he had never acquired any on the way, the result would not have been encouraging to any man who was in the habit of coolly and impartially reviewing his own acts. But the gallant captain had no such habit. His conviction that he was invariably right, and had done everything for the best, was never shaken, and it saved him from being troubled with anything resembling a visitation of remorse. The man or woman who possesses such a temperament is triply armed against most of the mortifications and regrets which fall upon the rest of us, but it is not a prudent thing to take either one or the other into partnership.

Mrs Tiltoff had found this out, at considerable inconvenience and cost to herself; but she had made up her mind to bear with her lot, which was a sensible thing to do, seeing that no alteration for the better in it seemed probable. She now related to her husband the general purport of her conversation with Baron Phlog, omitting certain details which she did not consider it material that he should know. The captain listened to her story with rather more attention than he generally paid to her communications; and he admitted that it was in all respects much to be desired that the excellent intentions which Margrave the elder had once entertained should still be carried out.

"You wasted a good deal of attention upon him, Beatrice," said the captain, who was not over-refined in his thoughts or expressions; "I almost thought at one time that he was in love with you. After all, you know, he was not such a very old man."

"Old or young, he did not admire your mode of life. You ruined your own chances with him."

"You mean by contradicting him a little too often."

"No; by taking the trouble to let him know that, no matter how much money came into your hands, you were determined to gamble it all away."

"Ah! I could not help those reports reaching his ears. Besides, it was on your behaviour that the stake depended, not on mine."

"Well, we lost the stake, as you call it, and now it is just possible we may win it again. If Baron

Phlog is right, we may yet be the owners of the Grange.”

Decidedly it was the most pleasant prospect which had opened itself to the expectant eyes of the worthy captain for some months past. Instantly it occurred to his mind that there were several little plans which he would be able to carry out with the suggested alteration in his circumstances, in some of which his wife would not necessarily be called upon to take a part.

"I shall be sorry for Margrave and his daughter," said he, "although they have not been over civil to us. I believe he was poor when he returned to England, and no one could be expected to save much out of the Grange property. What would they do if they were turned out!"

"Is that our business? Do you not think it quite hard enough to manage our own affairs? I have found it so, and so perhaps would you, if you had paid more attention to them."

"I know when I am well off, Beatrice. Other fellows make their lives miserable by worrying over their homes, and how to keep them going. I never bother my head about such matters - they are a woman's business."

"I wish you had made it a woman's business when we had some means to boast of. At any rate, if we ever get another start, I hope you will keep to your present theory."

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His wife's brain was busy with all sorts of projects, but although much might be thought of, nothing of moment could be done until the news arrived for which she waited so impatiently. If it were good, she would open her campaign without delay; if bad but at this thought she found her fortitude slipping away from her. She had been patient and strong when no hope for the better appeared in the vista of the future; but to be doomed now to a continuance of the old dreary life would be a fate too hard to be borne. She did not realise till that moment how great a strain she had passed through during the last few years.

It was nearly a month after Baron Phlog had disclosed what

was

known to him concerning Richard Margrave's history before he returned to the little house in Mayfair, with a letter which he had received from his friend Count Schomberg, who was still, much against his inclination, an exile at Washington. There was nothing for him to do there, for his Government had fortunately never had a difference of any kind with the Americans; perhaps because the two nations did not speak the

same language," and were not connected by "ties of blood."

The Baron translated the letter for his fair friend's benefit, and read the following passage to her with particular care:

The

"Margrave had many friends here, as you are aware; among them Senator Blower, who knew him when he first came to America, more than twenty years ago. Senator says he remembers Mrs Margrave perfectly-a very handsome woman, who was brought up as a child in the house of some friends of her mother, who had adopted her on the death of that mother. Margrave went away some

B

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