Ellen marvelled at his coolness when she remembered his last words only a few days before. "Thank you, I am very well now," she answered, trying to assume an unconcerned air and speak naturally, but she knew how ill she played her part, and again felt the blood rising to her cheek, and fancied all eyes were turned on her. Her ill-concealed agitation did not escape the Earl, who, however, imputed it entirely to nervousness, and relieved her from the trying position by addressing her on another subject. By-and-by her constraint wore off, and she actually found herself talking and even laughing with L'Estrange before the table broke up. Either, she thought, he told me false when he expressed himself most miserable, or he has a strange power of hiding mental agony by a smiling guise. The rest of the evening was spent in music and conversation upstairs, though some preferred strolling among the flower gardens till the bats began to flit about. The ladies then retired to their rooms; and the gentlemen, excepting Mr. Lennox and his friend Mr. Ravensworth, Johnny, Mr. Power the clergyman, and a few other quiet persons, retreated to the smoking room, where they kept up the fun to a late hour. One by one they too dropped off to bed, leaving only the Marquis, equal to any amount of strong drink, the Captain and L'Estrange. At last the Marquis went off, alleging as a reason it was "a shame to keep his wife awake so long." "Egad! and do you really think she will keep awake for you? Hang marriage, it spoils all good fellows; but get along," said the Captain, anxious to be alone with L'Estrange, yet unwilling the Marquis should think so. As soon as they were left alone, he continued, "I think, Ned, a foul fiend is against us; who the devil would have thought the Earl would have chosen Cessford's Peel for his double d--d picnic! I tried all I could to throw him off, and so did Musgrave, but it was no go, so I must warn Bill, and get Juana stowed away. I told that rascal Forbes to send a fellow along to-night; I wonder why the deuce he has not done so!" At this moment old Andrew opened the door and introduced a smart-looking young man. "A laddie who wished to see you, Captain." "Show him in--and begone: what the devil are you standing eavesdropping there for, you old blackguard?" "Heaven sain us," said Andrew, quickly departing. "Have a glass of spirits, my lad--whisky, or brandy, or what?" "Whisky, please your honour." "There you are," said the Captain, filling him a glass. "Your healths, sirs," draining the glass and smacking his lips--"that's the rale gude stuff." "Take another glass--and look you here, you know Cessford's Peel?" "Ay, sir, seeven mile, or thereby, sou-east o' the Towers."