But how should he justify himself to his host for having taken advantage of opportunity and abused hospitality by seeking the affections of the young daughter of his host, when he knew that her father cherished other matrimonial intentions for her, in which she also had perfectly coincided, until allured from her fidelity by the trusted guest of the house? Ay! how should he explain all this to Mr. Force? Not so very easily; but, then, Col. Anglesea was a very plausible person, and Mr. Force was one of the least suspicious among men. Anglesea, walking up and down the porch, and puffing away at his cigar, resolved to put on an air of blunt, soldierly frankness; tell Mr. Force--what he chose to call--the state of the case, and leave the affair in her father's hands, to be dealt with as he should see fit--knowing full well what the event would be. Now that the girl's consent to the marriage was secured, and her lips were sealed as to her own feelings on the subject, Col. Anglesea had no fears of the final result; nor was he in such special haste as to think it necessary to trouble Mr. Force with his suit on this same night, when the good gentleman should return, weary from his day's attendance at court. Therefore he resolved to defer the important interview until the next morning, when his own method of procedure might also be more matured. Mr. Force, in fact, came home rather late that evening. Tea had been kept waiting for him so long that it was nearly nine o'clock when the family assembled around the table. There were Mr. and Mrs. Force, Col. Anglesea, Miss Meeke, Wynnette and Elva; but there was one absentee. "Where is Odalite?" inquired her father, looking around the table. "She has gone to bed with a nervous headache," replied her mother. "Nothing serious, I hope," said the father, uneasily. "Oh, no, nothing at all serious," answered the mother. "I never knew Odalite to have a headache in her life before," said Mr. Force. "No, but then-- "'Such things must begin, some day,'" quoted the lady, with a forced smile. Col. Anglesea engaged Mr. Force in conversation to draw off his attention from Mrs. Force, who seemed to have some difficulty in maintaining her self-possession. After tea his host proposed a game of whist, and the party of four grown people sat down to a rubber. Col. Anglesea and Mrs. Force played against Mr. Force and Miss Meeke. The colonel and the hostess beat the rubber. And soon afterward the circle separated and retired to rest. It was just after breakfast the next morning when Col. Anglesea said to his host: "Force, can you give me a few moments private conversation before you go away this morning?" "Certainly. Come in here," said the master of the house, leading the way to the vacant drawing room, and wondering much what Anglesea could possibly have to say to him in private.