"Does your father preserve that river?" asked Captain Drayton, coolly pretermitting Mr. Strangways altogether. "I really don't know," she replied, in a slight and hurried way that nettled the Captain; and, turning to Guy Strangways, she said, "Did you see it _from_ the bridge?" "No, Mademoiselle; from the mound in which those curious stones are raised," answered Mr. Strangways. Captain Drayton felt that Miss Marlowe's continuing to talk to Mr. Strangways, while _he_ was present and willing to converse, was extremely offensive, choosing to entertain a low opinion in all respects of that person. He stooped a little forward, and stared at the stranger with that ill-bred gaze of insolent surprise which is the peculiar weapon of Englishmen, and which very distinctly expresses, "who the devil are you?" Perhaps it was fortunate for the harmony of the party that just at this moment, and before Captain Drayton could say anything specially impertinent, Sir Jekyl touched Drayton on the shoulder, saying-- "Are you for whist?" "No, thanks--I'm no player." "Oh! Mr. Strangways--I did not see--do _you_ play?" Mr. Strangways smiled, bowed, and shook his head. "Drayton, did I present you to Mr. Strangways?" and the Baronet made the two young gentlemen technically known to one another--though, of course, each knew the other already. They bowed rather low, and a little haughtily, neither smiling. I suppose Sir Jekyl saw something a little dangerous in the countenance of one at least of the gentlemen as he approached, and chose to remind them, in that agreeable way, that he was present, and wished them acquainted, and of course friendly. He had now secured old Colonel Doocey to make up his party--the sober old Frenchman and Sir Paul Blunket making the supplementary two; and before they had taken their chairs round the card-table, Captain Drayton said, with a kind of inclination rather insolent than polite-- "You are of the Dilbury family, of course? I never knew a Strangways yet--I mean, of course, a Strangways such as one would be likely to meet, you know--who was not." "You know one now, sir; for I am not connected ever so remotely with that distinguished family. My family are quite another Strangways." "No doubt quite as respectable," said Captain Drayton, with a bow, a look, and a tone that would have passed for deferential with many; but which, nevertheless, had the subtle flavour of an irony in it. "Perhaps more so; my ancestors are the Strangways of Lynton; you are aware they had a peerage down to the reign of George II." Captain Drayton was not as deep as so fashionable and moneyed a man ought to have been in extinct peerages, and therefore he made a little short supercilious bow, and no answer. He looked drowsily toward the ceiling, and then-- "The Strangways of Lynton are on the Continent or something--one does not hear of them," said Captain Drayton, slightly but grandly. "We are the Draytons of Drayton Forest, in the same county."