“At _mine_, be it rather,” said the Captain, sternly. “I accept my share of it willingly,” said Kate, with a glance which brought a deep flush over the hussar's cheek, and sent through him a strange thrill of pleasure. “Then I am to suppose we shall be honored with your own presence on this occasion,--rare favor that it is,” said her Ladyship. “Yes, I 'll look in. I promised Merl to present him.” “Oh, you need n't!” said she, peevishly. “Half the men merely make their bow when they meet me, and neither expect me to remember who they are or to notice them. I may leave your distinguished friend in the same category.” A quick glance from Kate--fleeting, but full of meaning--stopped Martin as he was about to make a hasty reply. And, crumpling up the card with suppressed passion, he turned and left the room. “Don't put that odious name on our list, Miss Henderson,” said Lady Dorothea; “we shall never have him again.” “I 'm rather curious to see him,” said Kate. “All this discussion has imparted a kind of interest to him, not to say that there would seem something like a mystery in Captain Martin's connection with him.” “I confess to no such curiosity,” said my Lady, haughtily. “The taste to be amused by vulgarity is like the passion some people have to see an hospital; you may be interested by the sight, but you may catch a malady for your pains.” And with this observation of mingled truth and fallacy her Ladyship sailed proudly out of the room in all the conscious importance of her own cleverness. CHAPTER V. A LETTER FROM HOME