“Am I then to inform the young ladies that you will not receive them?”

“You don’t know me, sir.  When did I ever receive a woman into my house?  They are all alike, sir.  Plotted with their father, I’ll answer for, with the hopes of getting husbands.  Tell them, sir, that I’ll see them d——­d first!  Swindling scoundrel!—­first cheats me out of a thousand pounds, and then tries to cheat me into providing for his family!”

Newton paused a little, to allow the colonel’s wrath to subside, and then observed—­“I never was so much distressed as to be the bearer of your message.  The young ladies are certainly no parties to their father’s dishonesty, and are in a situation much to be pitied.  In a foreign country, thousands of miles from their friends, without means of subsistence, or of paying their passage home.  What is to become of them?”

“I don’t care.”

“That your indignation is just, Colonel Revel, I admit; but allowing that you will not receive them, how are they to return home?  Captain Drawlock, I am sure, would give them a passage; but we proceed to China.  Poor girls!” continued Newton, with a sigh.  “I should like to make a remark, Colonel Revel, if it were not considered too great a liberty in a stranger.”

“You have already taken a liberty which in all probability has saved my life.  I shall be happy to listen to any remark that you may wish to offer.”

“It was, sir, that, reprehensible as their father’s conduct may be, common humanity, and a regard for your own character, will hardly warrant their being left thus destitute.  They, at least, are your relations, and have neither offended nor deceived you; on the contrary, are, with you, joint victims of their father’s deception.”

“You appear to take a great interest in these young ladies,” observed the colonel, sharply.

“If I had never seen them, sir, their present unfortunate dilemma would be sufficient.  Knowing them intimately as I do, I must say that this intelligence will be, to one, at least, a death-blow.  I would to God that I were able to assist and protect her!”

“Very handsome, then, I presume?” replied the colonel, with a sneer.

“She certainly is, sir; but it was not admiration of her beauty which occasioned the remark.  If you knew her, sir, you would be as sorry to part with her, as you now appear to be to receive her.”

The colonel continued to pace the room, but with less violence than before.  Newton observed this, and therefore was silent, hoping that reflection would induce him to alter his resolution.  In a few minutes, apparently forgetting the presence of Newton, the colonel commenced talking to himself aloud, muttering out a few detached phrases:—­“Must take them in, by G-d!  Couldn’t show my face—­no where—­d——­d scoundrel!  Keep them here till next ship—­till they are as yellow as gamboge, then send them home—­revenge in that.”

Thus did the old gentleman mutter loud enough for Newton to overhear.  A few minutes more were spent in perambulation, when he threw himself into the chair.