So Ashton, the ultra radical, and Ginsling, the young scion of
extreme toryism, used to fraternize in their drinking bouts, and
though they would, when sufficiently stimulated, boozily wrangle
over their cups, there was in their common dissipation a ground
for mutual understanding. But in his sober moments the radical had
the most supreme contempt for his tory associate, and, sometimes,
could not suppress its manifestation. The other, however, was too
great a toady to be too thin skinned. It was not convenient for
him to be over-sensitive. In fact he was willing to swallow such
insults _ad infinitum_ if their donors would only furnish the
wherewithall to wash them down.

After Ashton left England he felt somewhat lonely, and then his
father had become so utterly estranged from him because of his
conduct, that his situation became unpleasant even for him; so he
determined to sail for America. Learning that Ashton had settled
in Rochester, he made his way to that city. He arrived there at
the latter part of the year 1864, towards the close of the
American War; and shortly after his arrival, meeting with his old
comrade, as we have informed the reader, the latter, strange to
say, had power enough over him to seduce him to his fall. And now,
when Ashton was leaving Rochester in order to get away from his
old associates, and was making resolutions of reform, here he was
again as his tempter to lead him astray.

At his salute Ashton looked up with a dazed, faraway look upon his
face, and then, as he slowly realized his position, he thought how
foolish he must have appeared to another who had witnessed his
fierce gesticulations and heard his wild and incoherent