A RISE IN INDIGO.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXII, Issue 2586, 19 November 1867, Page 6

A RISE IN INDIGO.

[From Chambers' Journal.'] D'li'ted to sco you — dear fellow — just in time for tiffin. — Limjee, you lazy rascal, | bring the curry and two more bottles of I bitter beer. — Well (how pale you look about the gills !), is Crawford off to Ootacamund yot P I suppose he'll got his step now ? Lieutenant Jekyll of H.M. 93rd Regiment had just got his furlough, and was off from Bombay in four days by the P. and 0. s.s. Malta to Suez, en route to Old England. He was in the highest possible spirits, and even more mercurial and inconsequential than usual. He had not long returned from his morning ride : and after that exhilarating exercise, was alternately spouting Mr Owen Meredith's poetry, and playing snatches of It Flau to Magi co on a flute. The friend whom he addressed (Dallas, a young indigo merchant) was evidently nervous and restless. There was, there could be no doubt, something on his mind. His eyes wandered from one object to another in the hotel room ; he looked out of the window ou the surf, and replied in an absent way to Jekyll's multitudinous questions.

Jekyll warbled ou the flute, and rippled over the scales, ending with a melancholy shake on the B flat key ; then he spouted from a red book that had been lying open across a box of cheroots : — ' My little love, do you remember lire we were grown so sadly wise, Those evenings in the bleak December, Curtained warm from the snowy weather, Whoa you and I played chess together — Checkmated by each other's eyes ? | Isn't that jolly, by Jove, sir ? Well : Ah, still I sco your soft white hand Soft white hand. Pretty eh ? Rather ! Hovering warm o'er King and Queen j Our fingers touch, our glances meet And falter — falls your golden hair Against my cheek— your bosom sweet Is heaving. Down the field your Queen Hide 3 slow, her soldiery between, And checks me unaware. That's the style ; there's Korae go iv that. And who ia this like, Dallas P — All right ; here's that fool with the curry. At Paris, it was at the opera there, And she looked like aqueen in a book that night, With the wreath of pearl in her raven hair, And the brooch in her breast so bright.' Dallas looked up languidly from the Calcutta Englishman, in which he was reading tlie price current, and said: 'Why, Miss Wallace, of course ; the girl you waltzed with at Baroda, and have been spoony on ever since.'

It was a mere guess of Dallas's, but it was a correct one, and Jekyll was delighted. ' She ia a glorious girl !' he said, with a third dash at the curry ; ' and the finest eyes, I think, I over saw since I've been in India ! If she goes by this boat, as the governor says she may, I'll- bo hanged if I don't propose before we get to Aden. But you're off your ! feed. What ! no more ? What is the matter ? Old Lemmiugton refused you 'Annie ? Or those beasts Noothebhoy and Bates down upon you for my bills ? If it is the old fool Lemmington, run off with Annie. If it is the bills, get 'em renewed till I can send out ! the ready. Come, out with it ! What the deuce is it ? Here, have some more bitter. Surgit amari ; freely rendered : After the champagno of the night comes the bitter in the morning. Stop ! I've got it : it's indigo.' ' Yes. indigo's fallen,' said Dallas with a groan, pushing back from him a plate still half full ; 'and my chances of a thousand a year — the sine qua non with Lemmington before he will let me marry Annie — are more remote than ever. I am involved (having borrowed for you and for myself from Nothebhoy and Bate, the latter of whom is my rival for Annie — the snob !) ; and now theso fellows are " bearing"#he market with all their malice to keep the price of indigo down, make their profit, and ruin me, for I bought a lot at a much higher price than they did. They'll stick at nothing, as I have good reason to kuo w. I have just discovered an infamous plan : ono of their porters, whom I once helped, tells me'— — Dallas broke off his story, having suddenly felt his right leg seized by the two lithe paws of some animal under the table. He started up, and his chair fell, as out from under the white fold of tlie drooping tablecloth stole a broad stretched paw, and a surface above it of golden orange striped with black.

' Oh, it is only Eajah !' said Jekyll laughing — ' tho tiger-cub the Nawab sent me after our great day near Secunderabad, when we bagged four big men-eaters, and Dawson nearly got nailed by a fellow who was charging the markers. I'll toll you how it was. I, find Dawson, and Stephens wero taking our places near a ravine, when I saw a bush move, and just then out ran a tiger, and went the gauntlet of our three batteries. Dawson hit him in the loins; Stevens missed ; I planted a bullet in his flank. It was a glorious hurroosh. Back he turned on me before I could load, and I caught him on my bayonet, and shot him down with a revolver to his left ear. By dusk that day, sir, we bagged four full-sized tigers.' ' Your sympathy, Jekyll, is really overpowering,' said the vexed man of business. ' Still I. did think you would have pitied a friend whom Fortune seems to have checkmuted a dozen ways at once. I thought you were my friend ; I. thought you disliked that fellow Bates, aud would help me to circumvent him.'

' Don't be riled, Dallas. You know we're sworn friends — always have been — and I am iv your debt in moro ways than one : I needed no reminder of that. Pardon my thoughtless spirits, for troubles sit light on me : I'm one of your happy-go-lucky fellows. You know I hate Naughtyboy, and that little insolent snuff of a Jew. Didn't I chaff him at the hop the other night, aud didn't I scowl at him on the esplanade, and stop talking with Annie about you, when he is riding with her and the father, just to rile tho beast ! — But come, what is this trick of theirs ? I'm all attention — let me light up first. — Now, let's sco if we can turn the enemy's flank.' Jekyll, really a kind -hearled, clever fellow, too, ' put himself together,' as he called it, by tossing one of his long legs sideways over the. arm of a rocking-chair, and prepared seriously to listen ; the onl} r sign of waudcring being that he kept thoughtfully rolling oyer the tiger-cub with one foot. Concentration, except at whist, was not Jeyll's strong point. f Anything I can do, I'll do. Suppose wo have some claret ? Not now ? — Very well. I'm all ears. — Take a cheroot ? — Now, then, we're off; but stop a minute; I may as well just look at my breech-loader, and sec it is ready for packing — not to be idle, you know.'

Dallas could not find it iv his heart to bo angry with his mercurial friend, but groaned and began: ' Nothebhoy has a clerk, a discharged telegraph man, a drunken fellow, whom I had with mo for six months last monsoon, just out of kindness, because he had o sick wife, A bad lot he ie ; but he has

some gratitude, and he came to me last night, and' ■ r.

' Ono minute, my dear fellow, said Jekyll, starting up gun in hand, the tiger cub romping after him to the door, as he opened it and shouted down the corridor : ' Limjee, some more tow, and quick about it •' 'I see there is no fixing you, you restless mortal,' continued Dallas. 'Well, I suppose the troubles of a poor devil like myself are not very interest.'n^.' ' Don't you bo so touchy. I'm deeply interested. Pro-coed. The boozy card with gratitude came last night. — Your story, Sir Hubert, interests me much.'

' Came and disclosed a plot as infamous as it .was deep laid. — I can't be angry with you, Jekyll ; it is waste of time.'

'Naughty boy would do anything.' 'Determined, to ruin me by lowering the price of indigo in Calcutta below what I bought it for, and sending the news of the fall by the next mail, so as to cripple me before they swoop down on me for their money — I being already hit hard by the fall in oil seeds. TJiey aro going to-morrow to Guzzlogong — the fourth station on the Calcutta line. There is a jungle a mile from there, bordering on the railway. There they'll cut the telegraph wires, join them to a portable battery they take with them, and report at Calcutta a pretended depreciation in indigo, owing to tlie enormous yield of the new crop all through the Candeish collectorate. Down will go the price of indigo at Calcutta ; the news will go to Europe ; I shall have to sell at a loss. I am ruined, and dear Annie marries that rascal Bates ! I can't hold the indigo over till after the south-west monsoon ; I must press the stock on the market. Bhownugger cotton has fallen thirty rupees the candy this wcejt ; cardamoms aro down, and opium is a little firmer ; but what is that ? Jekyll, I've lost Annie, I've lost Annie, and I'm a ruined man !'

'Infernal rascals!' thundered Jekyll; ' why, they ought to swing for it. Down on them. Expose Naughtyboy ; hang it, expose the duffer.'

' Yes, and get pressed for the money I owe him next day. No; I'll let him do it.' ' Call hiui out aud shoot him before he starts.'

' Yes ; and have it said I made him pay the debt of nature in order to avoid paying my own ; no.'

' It's all that fool, Old Lemmington, strutting about in wooden beads and bracelets. Old idiot ! I wish he'd revive Juggernaut for his own special benefit. I'd like to drive him to thVColaba lunatic asylum ! I wouldn't let him out in a hurry, old donkey ! not to see through Bates and Naughty boy.' ' Noothebhoy.' ' Oh, I know my Hindustanee, thank you. Mayn't a man pun ? What infernal, rascally hounds these fellows must be ! I hope there's a tiger in that jungle, at Guzzlegoug, that's all. That fat Parsee, with the big hat, would be nice eating, I should think. Well, you are up a tree, old fellow T — take some beer ; whenever I'm up a tree with the Jews, I always go in a good deal for beer.

In Dixie's Land I'll take my stand — I'll live and die for Dixie. No use lamenting. Come and have an hour at billiards, or ride over to Symonds', and let's play at unlimited loo ; that's the thing to get your money back at. Let's play till the steamer starts. I've left all my P.P. C's. ' Jekyll, do be serious for one moment. — Did yon. npt tell me, that wheu you were stationed at Ahmedabad you amused yojivself, being in love with a "station master's daughter, with learning to work the telegraph and read the telegrams ?' ' Well, Guzerat life was slow : I confess I did turn telegraph clerk ; and I used to chaff the fellows at the Bombay office, till they complained of mo to old Pose, who gave me a nice wigging. The Mqfussilite had a leader on me, and I'd half a mind to call out the editor. — Dallas, you've got some plan in your head to circumvent these rogues — I see it in your eye. Take some more beer ; 1 always do, when I've got an idea in my oyc — I mean my head— wrap it up ; and light another weed — thoy are very mild. I got rather too deep with Framsefjee ; and when I do, he always sends very mild cheroots. Hang him ! Now, what is the idea? Can I help ? Quiet, Itajah, or I'll kick you P Dallas's pale face brightened — lie rubbed his beard — turned his head ou one side — pushed back the bottle with the red' pyramid upon it — looked down at liajah — tben up at Jekyll — smiled till his white teeth showed : he adjusted his left spectacle with the middle finger of his left hand, and looked as honestly and determiuately cuuning as a terrier afc a rabbit hole, when he hears the rabbit on the nan-o.

' That'll do, old man,' said Jekyll : ' then " gie's a hand my trusty fere, and here's a hand o'mine." I never saw you look like that without victory following. That's how you looked at whist, last week, when you were making with a thirteenth card. liurroosh ! Down with Naughtyboy and Bates ! Dallas for ever ! Shalash ! Mashallah ! There's pronunciation for you. What do you want?' 1 Well, I confess I have got a plan — a little dangerous, but what's that to a tiger hunter? They go to Guzzlegoug by the 9.30 ; let's go to Goolagong by the 5.20.'

'With all my heart. But cvi bono, unless we drop iv on thciu just as they begin, break their battery, and give them to the police?'

'Not a bit. I should be in jail two days after, aud ruined for ever. They could sell me up at once. I want time to make by that Oomrawuttee cotton, wheu the marketgoes up, as go up it must, at tho next advices.' ' Well, what can we do, then ? I'm ready for anything to help an old friend — pitch and toss to manslaughter. Say the word, my gentle Willy — Say the word, my Willy dear. Don't you think my voice improves ? Let's get some native fellows, and stop and rob 'em. Let's hire a Thug. What shall wo do?'

'Do ; Why, this : let us go to tho Loolagong end of the jungle, five miles from the Guzzlegoug Station. Let's cut the wires there ; put tlioin in communication with the battery and indicator wo will take with us ; we shall catch all their messages, and can return any answers we like. We shall deceive them — perhaps lead them to buy my indigo; and I shall be saved, and Annie will be mine.'

' What a head ! Why, you're a perfect Machiavel. bVluny, though, culling the telegraph. "Well, never mind. I'll go in for it. We can't well be found out, and we can take a native fellow to solder up the wires again. If any one says anything, we can pretend to be surveyors sent to examine the insulators, or something of that sort. Take some moro beer: there's plenty of it; don't spare it. By George ! it will be a lark, if I haven't forgot my reading. Let's go and order a tent, and hire two or three native fellows, as if we were going tiger hunting. Fine thought of yours, though, by Jove ;' Dallas leaped up and shook his hand. A friend in need !' he said : ' we'll do these fel-

lowa yet. I can rely on that man Crawford. —Good-bye, I'll be with you to-morrow at daybreak, battery, tents, blackfellows, and all.' '

' Good bye, Dallas, old boy. I'm' off for four hours' pool with Haswell at the club. I won't fail you, never fear. You never pressed me for money, though you wanted it yourself, and Jack Jekyll doesn't forget these things.'

Just at the entrance to the Exchange, Dallas camo upon two men who were descending tlio steps, One was a fat, insolent Parsee, in the long tunic and tall, Bloping, glazed cap of his sect ; the other a little, dark, sneering man, as full of spite and cunning as a cobra is full of poison. They were arra-in-arrn, and they smiled and stopped when they saw the young merchant walking along with a bolder and more confident alertness than usual. Dallas confronted Nootheboy and Bates cheerfully. ' Indigo quoted lower again : bad foi' those who hold indigo — very bad for those who hold indigo. Isn't it, Bates ?' said the Parsee.

* Very bad. Oomrawutte, two, threerupees lower ; and opium dull, and going down lower still. — Mr Dallas, if money remains tight, we shall want ours before the monsoon's over, for there will bo pressure. | Eh, Nootheboy ?' ' Certainly will,' said the sleek partner.

' Payments may be delayed, but payments cannot bo postponed for ever. Where bankruptcy is imminent, bankruptcy in some cases had better come at once. It savessuspense — eh, Nootheboy ?' '<! *quite agree with you. But don't be harsh, Bates. Ha, ha ! I suppose one must be harsh too sometimes ; and I leave you to decide all business with your own countrymen. Ha, ha ! -you know their curious little ways and their evasions.' ' Look you here, Mr Nootheboy, and you,. Mr Bates,' said Dallas, angrily, his temper quite gone at the arrogance of his creditor" and his lival. ' I owe you certain moneys,, and 1 will pay you. When you want it, you will press for it; I need no prophet .to tell mo that. I may lose by my indigo, or % may not. If Ido break, you will hear of it as soon as any one. Till I break, I am a free man, thank God ! aud will bear no insolence from auy one. Good morning, gentlemen.'

' Your beggar fellows are always insolent,* muttered Bates. 'I'll have my foot on that young fellow yet, because he gives himself airs, and want's to. marry the girl I've taken a fancy to. On my wedding day, he shall be snug in prison, and so I warn him. One would think by his talk he was a second Rothschild. Good gracious, does he forget wo have a deskful of his paper? — Take care,. Mr Dallas ; to-morrow night, you won't be worth the clothes you strut about in. Will he, Nootheboy ?' ' Not worth a cocoa-nut shell, Bates, you clever, sharp fellow. This time to-morrow, his business won't be worth one of jour empty English beer bottles.'

On the corner of tho esplanade, Dallas, to his delight, saw in the distance Miss Lemmington aud Miss Wallace riding together. There was no mistaking the ' primrose' face,, as the lover called it, so gentle and so pure, nor the stylish and rather fast bearing of Jekyll's adored, with her proud self-con-sciousuess, and rather showy way. of riding. Dallas was making for them, to intercept them as thoy turned, when a hand touched him on the shoulder. It was the eccentric; old gentleman, Annie's faE&er, dressed half Hindu, half European, robe, necklace, and chimney-pot hat — an absurd mixture of two incompatible civilisations.

' Good morniug, Mr Dallas, he said ; ' a word with you. I have considered your proposal for my daughter Annie, aud will thiuk over it. But I cannot conceal from you. that there are grave reports about touching: your commercial position. You know what the law of Menu is on these points — " Give not thy daughter to one unable to maintain her in her father's caste.' Sir, I venerate Menu and his laws, as I venerate everything Hindu. Excuse my also saying, that the society of notorious gamblers like Lieutenant; Jekyll will hot improve that position. A friend on whom I can rely speaks of you as rash in speculation. Take my advice, sir ; forget Annie. Good morning, sir.'

' The friend is Bates, the beast,' thought Dallas, as he watched Annie and her companion canter out of sight. 'The old idiot listens to tattlers about me because he thinks lam broken. If fortune turned, he would give me Annie at once. Ho fancies he ia swayed by high notions, and he is as arrant a money-lover, and time-server, as any match-making mother in India. But never mind ; Aunie is true.' And as he thus reassured himself, he drew from his breast pocket a little, scented, three-cornered note on yellow paper, as old Lemmington turned round the corner, and kissed it passionately half a dozen times ; for Dallas was a truehearted fellow, and loved Annie as sincerely as she did him.

8.20 train toLoolagong — hot mist shrouding the groves of plumed cocoa palms, the teak woods, tlie droves of buffaloes wallowing in the pools, the patches of tossing sugar canes, the pepper, aud the card anion fields, and the rank growth of indigo. Puff] puff! tho white smoke of the engine breathed forth, and floated down over the native villages and dark peepul trees round the white tombs of Mohameddan santons. Guzzlegoug passed — Loolagong in sight. Jekyli, who had been smoking serenely, standing up at the carriage wiudow, turned round to Dallas. ' Dallas, old boy,'- said he, ' this affair requires firmness and decision. You are too> auxious to be firm. lam accustomed tobull v men, and like it. The station master here is, I hear, an old sergeant of Bombaypolice. He may refuse to stop the telegraph ; then we're done.'

Dallas's jaw seemed to lengthen. ♦Oh it's all right ; I'll manage h\; impudence docs it. Here we are. — Letus out,. , you blackfellow ; do not stand grinning there.. — Liuvjee, bring out the whitesmith, and see he has his tool bag.' I The station master was an old, severe sore, of man, with gray moustaches cut above hiß< I upper lip. Ho saluted Jekyll as the train, moved on, and Jekyll went up to him. ' What is your name, station master?" ' Maxwell, sir.' ' Mr Maxwell, we have come from Bombay to inspect tlie telegraph here. There is a want of insulation in the jungle about a mile from here, Guzzlegong way, and wo require to test it. We shall require to stop for a few hours the communication between Bombay and Calcutta. We shall also require your battery and indicator, which my servants will carry. You have here' (he pointed to Dallas) «tho great discoverer of the hydraulic-ally compressed^ wire.-— Do yoi* understand the telegraph ?'

The station master said ho regretted to say he did not ; but was ready to obey all ordera of the head office. Sad they thaorders for the suspension with them ?

'It is not necessary,' said Jekyll, with infinite coolness : ' stopping at nearly every station, sometimes requiring to test the wires, sometimes not, it was impossible to bring orders for every place— they had full powers —Limjee, tell the smith to cut the wires ; and. station master, procure lis a guide, if you please, to the edge of the jungle.' The station master was awed— he obeyed. Jekyll ordered two riding elephants from the village for himself and Dallas ; and off they went followed by bis native servant, the smith, and one or two odd men, to carry the tent, the luncheon and the champagne. - * Done the old boy, by ' George ! humbugged him, by all that's sacred ;' said Jekyll, aearly, falling off his elephant with laughing when they got out of reach of the station, and in advauce of their retinue. 'Knew I should. Those sort of fellows want to be handled with firmness; no use, mere civility. Now, then, for a righteous fraud, Dallas, and circumventing Naughtyboy, Bates & Co.' ' My eternal gratitude,' said Dallas, shaking his friend's hand, ' and Annie's too. But suppose' ' Suppose nothing — victory is ours. — Limjee, open a bottle of beer, the moment tho tent is up. Be perpetually opening bottles of beer ; and take care you don^t drop that ■small cottage piano of electricity, or I'll flay you, which might be unpleasant this hot weather.'

The par s ty now, leaving the highroad, struck a side path into the skirt of the jungle intersected by the railway. It was a park like country, with teak trees scattered here and there in clumps, and here and there huge •coverts of flowering underwood, woven together with great cables of blossoming tendril and clinging creepers. The tent was pitched on a bare spot, not far from a giant tree, covered with crimson flowers large as cactus flowers, and of a delicious scent. For Italf a mile round, the grass rose in feathery waves, nearly breast high, from which a wild : peacock now and then rose with a frightened scream.

By 10.30 a.m. the tent was up and everything ready, the wires cut, and placed in comniunrcation with the battery under the tent, which had been strewn with green leaves and grass. * Now for beer,' said Jekyll, as he threw himself on the carpet, placed for him in front of the little cottage piano and the two white watch faces, on which the pointers lay still jnotionless.

' 9.30 train,' he said, ' brings them to Guzzlegong at 10.30. Quarter to 11, they ought to be at work. You can depend on your man, Dallas ? If you can't we're done. — Limjee, try to find some pool to put that champagne in. No fear of tigers here, I suppose — ask the black fellows.' *No tiger— all gone south cud of jungle.' < Hurroosh! — then perhaps they'll snap Bates. That beer has made me sleepy, ,Dallas ; if I snoozo,' wake me directly you see the needles move, mind. Here take oue of these cigars.' The heat had grown intense — one glare above and below — no color — no freshness of morning— nothing but a golden glare of furaace heat — nothing moving but a great burnished beetle or two on the path, or now and then a peacock spreading his gorgeous pluJtnage a hundred .yards away, ' and taking flight if an elephant swayed uneasily or beat the lower boughs with its proboscis. Presently Dallas leaped to his feet, and shook Jeky)l, who was dozing, just suffi.ciently awake to keep his cigar alight by mechanical and measured puffs. ' Well — time for parade, old fellow ?'* ' Jekyll, wake up ! The needles are moving — they're sending a message.' . In a moment, Jekyll was at the telegraph •—rat, tat went the handles. He worked with confidence and knowledge. There was dead silence for five minutes, as when a great ■fish is hooked, and the angler is waiting to see his first move. Dallas waited eagerly ; at last Jekyll turned and read the rascal's

message : ' Bates Sf Co to Framsetjee and Nicholson. Mail just in. No demand for indigo— price 'falling. Write by return state of crop.' ' The infernal rogues !' said Dallas ; ' why .there's no mail in. Tell them— -Crop ruined. Buy all you can get. Prices double since yesterday.' 'Limjee, get the luncheon ready,' said Jekyll. — * Dallas, don't lose your head — there must be no hurry. Mind the message takes half an hour — then, there is the sending it. Whero is Framsetjee's ?' A mile from the station, tip to the Dal house Institute. We must allow one hour at least before we return a message ; and won't I give them hot ! I'll let them have a moral lesson. — Come, look alive with that champagne, and give the elephants a pint of beer each, poor beasts, out there in the sun. By George, sir, how we have humbugged Naughtyboy ! I'll let liira know that, like Pope's spiders, we're " live along the line." Go it, you cripples ! Let the smith have some beer. Now, then, Dallas, have some veahpie ? At 11 a.m.. or 12, we'll let fly at Naughtyboy .' ' Hurrah !' said Dallas ; ' they'll buy all my indigo. — What excellent champagne !

How brightly breaks the morning, Our hearts to free — Ira la, tra la !' ' That's* tlie style ; now you're yourself. I wish we had a third man for a rubber. I feel in great feather to-day. This early rising improves my voice. Shall I give you that fine old thingCould a man be secure That his life would endure Eor a thousand, a thousand long years, What arts he might learn, What fame ho might earn,

And all without trouble or care. Limjee, clean plates, you scoundrel, and don't stand making faces at a government telegraph surveyor! But, holloa, time's up. Now, then, to give it them hot. What shall I say, Dallas, about tho crop ? Cyclone, insects, rains, fire— what?' ' Insects,' suggested Dallas. ' Very well : call it the cock and bull msect — ehP'

' No ; the Marencstimis sacrqfigius.' ' Say insects generally, or drought — eh ? — Very well, insects. Here goes. No larking ; serious now.'

Jekyll devoted himself for some minutes to the small pianoforte, the watch faoes, the quivering needles, and the shaking handles ; then he rose, and laughed till he had to hold his sides.

' I've given it thorn hot,' he said. ' Framsetjee and Nicholson to Bates. — Indigo crop nearly destroyed by swarms of insects. Buy Bombay stock at any price. We hear Dallas has a good deal. It will go up forty rupees by Wednesday. Buy — buy.' ' That " Buy — buy" is a fine touch ; perfect — perfect!' said Dallas. The two men danced round the tent for joy, to the surprise of Limjee, and the smith, and the retinue. 'Fancy Bates's face — greenish yellow,' said Jekyll, ' finding the game against him — eyes enlarging— cold perspiration.' ' And old Noothebhoy, with his fat, stupid stare, and his blank, vacant horror, and my telegraphman. laughing in his sleeve; for

though be does not know our game, he hates them both.' ' It's as good as a play.— Limjee, tell the smith to destroy communication, and solder up the wires : • the wire done, get the tent up, wire off, and catch the 1.15. They won't telegraph any more. They'll be back, Dallas, to buy your stock. I hope you left word with your confidential manP' 'Of course, I did— to sell all the indigo I had at forty rupees advance on original price. That'll bring me in twelve huudred pounds. I shall clear off their five hundred and fifty pounds, and go in for this new railway safest out. Jekyll, I have to thank you for a wife. What share shall I give you P You earned them for me !' « Not a sliver. Or, tear up my last 1.0.1 J. for the fifty pounds I lost at 100. That will do.' 4 With sincerest pleasure, my dear follow.' ' Limjee, give the rest of the beer round to your black brothers.— Now, Dallas, a toast in the last glass of Cliquot : " May indigo flourish, and may Naughtyboy and Bates go to pot 1" Hurrah ! LVank with enthusiasm. Come, let's pack up our traps. I want to get back to give Crawford bis revenge at billiards. Hurroosh, we've been and done it !'

' Mr Dallas,' said Bates, now very humble and civil, ' I'm deeply obliged to you forthe indigo. The mail, to-day, says there is a great demand for it in France, and we have orders to ship to any amount. We are all square now. You've done well with your indigo.' ' So, so,' said Dallas.—' By the by, Bates,' said the young merchant with good natured malice, ' I forgot to tell you that I am about to take a partner.' ' Delighted, I'm sure, to hear that your business is so increasing. But you've done doosed well with your indigo, you know you have.— Why does he laugh, Lieutenant Jekyll ?' ' Laugh ?' said Jekyll sarcastically ; ' why, because he means old Lemington bas just given him his daughter. Well suited for each other, aren't they, Bates, old boy P By George ! I was never so pleased to bear anything.'

The Malta was getting up her steam, and snorting in her impatience to get into cooler latitudes. The shore was covered with spectators ; ' the steamer's bulwarks crowded with faces ; the shore bell was wringing angrily ; the captain, at the bridge, was waving his hand for the men to get everything ready forward. Among the spectators stood that ill-conditioned fellow Bates, and that ugly, fat Parsee Noothebhoy ; near them, under an enormous white umbrella, stood Dallas, with Annie on his arm. __ They were looking at Jekyll, who stood gaily and airily on the gangway ; near him leaned a tall, handsome girl, in a nankeen muslin dress, fluttering with violet ribbons. Need we say her name was Wallace. Louder than the roar of the steamer shouted Jekyll, as he waved a Times of India, just wet from the press : ' Some rascals have been cutting the telegraph near Guzzlegong ! And, I say, Dallas !' ' What ?' * Indigo's fallen again. Hurrah! Splendid crop !' Bates nearly fainted ; Naughtyboy looked apoplectic. ' Good-bye,' shouted Jekyll. . ' Good-bye,' answered Dallas. •■ Annie and Miss Wallace waved their handkerchiefs. ' IGo ahead !' shouted the captain ; and the Malta moved off, in a fretful froth, on her way to Old England.