He said he was quite sorry for Mr. Haveloc; actually, he had confessed he could not see a pigeon five yards off--so unusual! Mr. Gage had strongly recommended him to have a glass fixed on his gun, but he had remarked that "le jeu ne valait pas la chandelle." Mr. Gage considered it a real affliction to be deprived of almost every rational means of amusement. Pigeon shooting was only one branch of the rational pursuits, there was shooting in general. He scarcely knew, indeed, how a man could hunt if he did not see a few feet in front of his horse's head. And yet Haveloc was a fair shot with a pistol. But then Miss Capel would recollect that in pistol shooting, the mark was stationary. Miss Capel gave due attention to these items of discourse, and then Mr. Gage went on. Really Haveloc was a very good fellow. He did not think him so religious as people made out. He had persuaded them to go to Tynebrook for trout fishing to-morrow. They were to dine there late, and return the next morning--a late dinner even in these days--ten o'clock--that was Raymond's idea. He said anglers lost the best part of the day when they left off before the cool of the evening. He remembered having himself caught the finest trout he ever saw, one evening about nine o'clock. He always regretted he had not that fish weighed. Margaret acceded to these remarks with a proper degree of interest. She felt better, stronger than she had done before, more able to be amused with what passed around her. The fact was, she said to herself, that now her meeting with Mr. Haveloc was over--she had been in dread of it; and though in the same house, they hardly saw or spoke to each other, therefore there was nothing more to fear or hope--no suspense left. Harriet meanwhile was keeping up a lively conversation with Mr. Haveloc, at last she said: "Are you one of Miss Capel's admirers? Every one here thinks her very beautiful." "Very much so," replied Mr. Haveloc, without looking towards Margaret. "You knew her uncle very well. I suppose you must have seen a good deal of her at Ashdale?" "I did. She was very young then." "Do you find her much altered?" "A little--a very little." Come! thought Harriet, whose keen ear discovered a slight faltering in his carefully guarded tone. It is mutual whatever it is. That is just what I wanted to discover. Whether or not this discovery tended to put her into good spirits, she was unusually brilliant that evening at the rehearsal. Everybody seemed animated by her. Miss Campbell tried to play up to her, as the actors call it. The officer repeated his assurance that she had a great genius for the stage, and even Everard read his part a little as if he meant it. Margaret was sitting by Mrs. Fitzpatrick, holding Harriet's part-book, when Mr. Haveloc and Mr. Gage came in together. Mr. Haveloc came to Mrs. Fitzpatrick's chair, and Mr. Gage to Margaret's. "You have not been prevailed upon to lend your aid, Miss Capel," said Mr. Gage.