admired by the ladies in public, and by his father in private, who looked
upon the duel and horsewhipping, from which he thus saved his patron's
nephew, as the most fortunate circumstance that could have happened to his
son upon his entrance into life.

"Such an advantage as this gives us such a claim upon the colonel--and,
indeed, upon the whole family. Lord Oldborough, having no children of his
own, looks to the nephew as his heir; and though he may be vexed now and
then by the colonel's extravagance, and angry that he could not give this
nephew more of a political turn, yet such as he is, depend upon it he can
do what he pleases with Lord Oldborough. Whoever has the nephew's ear, has
the uncle's heart; or I should say, whoever has the nephew's heart, has the
uncle's ear."

"Mayn't we as well put hearts out of the question on all sides, sir?" said
Buckhurst.

"With all my heart," said his father, laughing, "provided we don't put a
good living out of the question on our side."

Buckhurst looked averse, and said he did not know there was any such thing
in question.

"No!" said his father: "was it then from the pure and abstract love of
being horsewhipped, or shot at, that you took this quarrel off his hands?"

"Faith! I did it from spirit, pure spirit," said Buckhurst: "I could not
stand by, and see one who had been my schoolfellow horsewhipped--if he did
not stand by himself, _yet_ I could not but stand by _him_, for you know I
was there as one of his party--and as I backed his bets on High-Blood, I