“As a pattern or as a warning?” inquired Lord Alfred, favouring her with a look of intelligence for which she was scarcely prepared. “You are laughing at me,” she said; “but I will honestly confess that it is rather trying to see Mr. Coverdale place himself and me in a ridiculous, if not actually an embarrassing situation, merely for the sake of a horse.” “It was a very _fine_ horse,” observed Lord Alfred, meditatively. “And therefore the worthier animal of the two--thank you for the compliment, my lord,” was the slightly piqued reply, which of course produced a carefully veiled but teasing rejoinder; and with such-like light _badinage_ did they beguile the time, until having rushed for some distance over acres of turnips, stubble, grass-land, and other such agricultural territory, changing as by some pantomimic agency to the roofs of houses, with elegant _parterres_ of chimney-pots, they were surprised to find they had reached the London terminus. The cessation of movement having roused the prize elder from his meritorious slumbers, Alice waited until, with many snorts and grunts he had aroused his legs (which were evidently each enjoying a separate and independent nap of its own) and toddled off upon them, ere she inquired in rather a forlorn tone, “And now I wonder what is to become of me? Would you kindly ascertain when the next train will be in?” Lord Alfred made the inquiry, and obtained the cheering intelligence that the next train which stopped at the Tearem and Smashingly Junction would arrive in exactly two hours fifteen minutes and a quarter, at which time, as nearly as Alice could calculate, the Crane butler would be removing the fish and soup. “It is impossible that you can wait here all that time, my dear Mrs. Coverdale!” exclaimed Lord Alfred. “What will you like me to do for you? You must tell me exactly what you wish.” “You are very kind,” returned Alice, feeling much inclined to get into a fuss at the oddness of the situation which thus forced her to rely on a handsome young man, with whom she had been acquainted some two hours. Then submitting to her fate with a feeling of desperation, she continued, “First give me your arm, and conduct me to the ladies’ waiting-room; and then if you would be so kind as to look for Celeste, my maid, and--really I am ashamed to trouble you, my lord, but there are some trunks she ought to find, and she can’t speak a dozen words of English intelligibly; and--how you’re to recognize her I can’t tell; really how Mr. Coverdale could----” But before she could finish her accusatory sentence, Lord Alfred, anxious to distinguish himself in his new capacity of squire of dames, had disappeared. In less time than Alice had deemed possible, he returned with Celeste and a bundle of shawls and wrappers on one arm, and carrying a carpet-bag with the other.