"The Queen, who is the fountain of honour, made his father a nobleman, and that constitutes birth." This the married sister said with stern severity of manner, and perfect reliance on the constitutional privileges of her Sovereign. "I don't know that we need talk about it," said Gertrude. "Not at all. Mr. Houston has behaved very badly, and I suppose there is an end of him as far as this house is concerned. Captain Batsby seems to me to be a very nice young man, and I suppose he has got money. A man should certainly have got money,--or an occupation." "He has got both," said Gertrude, which, however, was not true, as Captain Batsby had left the service. * * * * * * "Have you forgotten my cousin so soon?" Gertrude asked one day, as she was walking with the happy Captain in the park. The Captain, no doubt, had been saying soft things to her. "Do you throw that in my teeth as an offence?" "Inconstancy in men is generally considered as an offence," said Gertrude. What it might be in women she did not just then declare. "After all I have heard of your cousin since I have been here, I should hardly have thought that it would be reckoned so in this case." "You have heard nothing against her from me." "I am told that she has treated your brother very badly." "Poor Tom!" "And that she is flirting with a man I particularly dislike." "I suppose she does make herself rather peculiar with that Colonel Stubbs." "And, after all, only think how little I saw of her! She is pretty."