I rose reluctantly, the Colonel, Nurse, and Cormac, and even Kate, coming out in the fresh night air, all perfumed with the clematis and heliotropes that adorned the front of the cottage, to see me off. "Good bye, Captain Egerton," said Kate,-- "be sure to come back soon, and do not forget the drawings; have you got your flowers?" "It would be a bold man that would attempt to take them from me, Miss Vernon; good night!" "A thousand thanks, Colonel, for my very pleasant visit to A----." "God bless you, take care of yourself," he replied. "A' then the saints go wid ye!" said Nurse. "Good bye, Mrs. O'Toole; I'll never taste an eatable trout, until I return." "Good night once more;" and I threw myself into the cab, with a feeling of extraordinary regret, and affection for the old Colonel; for Mrs. O'Toole, aye, even for Cormac; but for Kate--_Caramba_, as Winter would say. A short hour of hissing and clattering, and I was back again amongst the bustling, crowded, glaring, gas exhaling streets of Carrington; amidst the confusion of noisy omnibuses and uncouth cries, of drunken mechanics, and wretched beggar women with their imps of children! It was after ten o'clock before I entered the mess room to report my return, (having first placed my precious flowers in safety). I found the apartment redolent of the savoury odours of dinner and cigars, and occupied by a larger party than usual; all of whom were in loud and eager debate on the respective merits of the favourites for the approaching Doncaster meeting. As soon as they perceived me through the cloudy atmosphere, I was greeted with a perfect hurricane of queries, exclamations, and offers of fifty and a hundred to one, against divers and sundry horses, colts, and fillies. "Where, in the name of mystery, have you been skulking?" "Hullo! Egerton, you're the very man I wanted; give me the long odds against M----'s mare; you're sure to win, and it will just square my book." "I say, Fred, I've backed 'Tearaway,' would you have me hedge off?" "What has become of you; you have missed such a spread at the Mayor's, and such speeches as would have driven Murray to suicide." "A hundred to five you don't name the winner." "Ha! Egerton, just come back?" "Keep cool, my dear fellows, and give me some claret."