Five minutes had scarcely elapsed after Arthur read the welcome telegram, when he betook himself to the gratifying business of preparing for his long-delayed settling-day. His first act was to put himself in indirect communication with the sporting earl who, as all the world was well aware, possessed a purse long enough to gratify his lordship’s desire to become possessor of the Derby winner; and his next object of interest was the promised visit of Colonel Norcott, who, although he did not greatly admire his character, had, both as the nominal owner of Rough Diamond and the father of Honor Beacham, peculiar claims on his time and attention. Very early on that day, and soon after receiving Fred Norcott’s billet, he had despatched a note to that gentleman’s abode, and in that note he had informed his friend of the interesting domestic reason of his absence on the previous day from Tattenham Corner on that all-important occasion. “I will call in Stanwick-street about nine <small>P.M.</small>,” so wrote the newly-made father, “when I hope to find you at home, and shall be truly glad if there is good news for us in the interim.” Arthur was well pleased to escape a meeting at “the club,” _id est_, _his_ club, with Colonel Norcott. That gentleman was in the habit--a propensity which was rather annoying to Arthur Vavasour--of showing off, at the Travellers’, his intimacy with the popular young heir of Gillingham, the former being well aware that he stood on unsafe ground, and that it behoved him to make the most of such respectable acquaintances as fade, or rather conduct, had left him. The indomitable Fred, not content with linking his arm within that of Arthur Vavasour, when the two chanced to meet in the haunts of fashionable men and women, would, whenever he could either seize or make an opportunity for so doing, parade his acquaintanceship with his young friend in the most unwarrantable manner. It was in order to prevent a repetition of this inconvenience that Arthur Vavasour (who would probably have been more careful of hurting the Colonel’s vanity had Honor Beacham still remained under his protection) indited the epistle above alluded to, namely, that which appointed Stanwick-street as a place of rendezvous between himself and the owner of his most cherished secret. Well aware of the fact that Colonel Norcott, who belonged to no regular “club,” but only to a sporting _réunion_ of doubtful respectability, was in the habit of making the best of his lodging-house dinner at home, Arthur Vavasour entertained but little doubt of finding his middle-aged friend (whose health, albeit he would have strenuously denied the fact, was beginning to betray some of the consequences of an ill-spent life) resting from the excitement of the day in the bosom, so-called by courtesy, of his family.