Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER XXXIV. A TCKN OF THE SCREW. "Now, what," says Mr. George, "may this be? Is it blank cartridge, or ball ? A flash in the pan, or a shot?" An open letter is the subject of the trooper's speculations, and it seems to perplex him mightily. He looks at it at arm's length, brings it close to him, holds it in his right hand, holds it in his left hand, reads it with his head on this side, with his head on that side, contracts his eyebrows, elevates them ; still, cannot satisfy himself. He smoothes it out upon the table with his heavy palm, and thoughtfully walking up and down the gallery, makes a halt before it every now and then, to come upon it with a fresh eye. Even that won't do. " Is it," Mr. George muses, " blank cartridge or ball ? " Phil Squod, with the aid of a brush and paint-pot, is employed in the distance whitening the targets; softly whistling, in quick-march time, and in drum-and.fife manner, that he must and he will go back again to the girl he left behind him. " Phil! " The trooper beckons as he calls him. Phil approaches in his usual way; sidling off at first as if he were going anywhere else, and then bearing down upon his commander like a bayonet-charge. Certain splashes of white show in high relief upon his dirtyface, and he scrapes his one eyebrow with the handle of his brush. " Attention, Phil! Listen to this." " Steady, commander, steady." " ' Sir. Allow me to remind you (though there is no legal necessity for my doing so, as you are aware) that the bill at two mouthd' date, drawn on yourself by Mr. Matthew Bagnet, and by you accepted, for the sum of ninety-seven pounds four shillings and ninepence, will become due to-morrow, when you will please be prepared to take up the same on presentation. Yours, Joshua Smallweed.' — What do ...
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