It was considered a daring thing to be hand and glove with Gibbs at Oxford, a dangerous and a delightful thing; for he was known to be the fastest man of his college, and he had been the ring-leader in everything wicked for years. He made himself Mr. Tallant’s champion when that gentleman was epigrammatically assailed, and ever afterwards constituted himself boon companion to the iron prince. There was a rumour that Mr. Shuffleton Gibbs was compelled to leave college when he did on account of some offence committed against the regulations of the establishment; whether this was true or not, he left Oxford suddenly, and with no other honour than that of being the fastest man who had ever led a gown and town row, or hunted down a citizen’s daughter. “You’ll be at the club to-night, of course,” Mr. Gibbs said, swinging his eye-glass round, and admiring the perfect fit of a pair of new boots. “Yes,” said Mr. Richard, “shan’t be able to come before dinner; going to dine with a friend at seven.” Mr. Gibbs showed his teeth, and said “haw, haw.” “Will join you by ten,” Mr. Richard continued, smiling, and holding his empty glass between himself and the light to catch its diamond-like sparkles in the sun. “What’s _your_ little game to-night, then,” inquired Mr. Tallant, junior. “Nothing, nothing; a bit of quiet Loo and a cigar. Young Hammerton is to join us by-and-by.” “What, Earl Verner’s brother?” Mr. Richard inquired, with more than ordinary interest. “The same--the paternal seat is near Barton Hall, you know.” “Rather,” said Mr. Richard. “He’ll be deuced rich when the earl hops the twig; he is considerably older than Lionel and very shaky, they say; he often rides over to the Berne district. The governor says he likes to talk farming to the bailiff at the Hall Farm.” “Gad bless me!” exclaimed Mr. Gibbs. “Are there any gals about?” “There is one, old fellow, and a remarkably fine girl, too; but her mother’s a she-wolf, and her father!--why, Shuffy, he’d double you up with one hand and throw you into the road, if you put your nose into his place; he’d smell you out in no time;” and Mr. Richard Tallant laughed aloud at his lively picture of Mr. Gibbs’s imaginary discomfiture. Mr. Shuffleton Gibbs bit his lip before he grinned and said “haw, haw” this time; and it was a little while before he had time to say, “Haw, what an infernally powerful savage he must be.” Mr. Richard Tallant was, and had been for some time, of great pecuniary value to Mr. Shuffleton Gibbs, who not only sponged upon the iron prince, but fleeced him at cards, and assisted at all his extravagances. Had it been otherwise, he would have resented the tone and manner of Mr. Tallant’s description of his perfect helplessness in the hands of Luke Somerton. “You may laugh, Shuff, but by Jove it’s true; so take timely warning, and if ever you should go down to Barton Hall mind how you look at Amy Somerton.”