"One of us must marry her," he said; "I'm ready to toss up for it."Cosway matched him in generosity. "No," he answered. "It was Iwho brought you here; and I who led you into these infernal expenses. I ought to pay the penalty--and I will."Before Stone could remonstrate, the five minutes expired.
Punctual Mrs. Pounce appeared again in the doorway.
"Well?" she inquired, "which is it to be-- Cosway, or Stone?"Cosway advanced as reckless as ever, and offered his arm.
"Now then, Fatsides," he said, "come and be married!"In five-and-twenty minutes more, Mrs. Pounce had become Mrs.
Cosway; and the two officers were on their way to the ship.
_The Second Epoch in Mr. Cosway's Life._
Four years elapsed before the _Albicore_ returned to the port from which she had sailed.
In that interval, the death of Cosway's parents had taken place.
The lawyer who had managed his affairs, during his absence from England, wrote to inform him that his inheritance from his late father's "estate" was eight hundred a year. His mother only possessed a life interest in her fortune; she had left her jewels to her son, and that was all.