"Scarcely one so pretty; and certainly no group like this; it is quite charming!" "When did you arrive? Is your father come? And where is Mr. Lennox? I thought he would have joined you." "One question at a time, Clarence," said the Marchioness; "Ellen cannot answer so many at once. And what have you to say, my Lord?" addressing the Marquis, who had just come up. "What excuse for flirting with a country girl, as you were doing just now? Pretty well, after all your vows to me." "Tut! Edie! what matters a passing joke to a pretty girl. You are not jealous of Jenny Forbes, I hope?" "By no means; only you should remember you are now married, and should leave such follies to the unmarried young men." As they spoke the party had come to where the Captain still stood. "John, have you nothing to say to our guest, Miss Ravensworth?" said Lady Arranmore. "It is d--d hot, isn't it, Miss Ravensworth?" Ellen could not forbear smiling at the curt reply, though she felt somewhat shocked. "You were ill, I was sorry to hear," continued the young officer; "but you have apparently picked up in a wonderfully short time. I am blessed if I would have ever found it out." They passed on, and the Captain resumed his interrupted conversation. "I'faith! it is hot, though. This reminds me of Spain a bit, where our men dropped dead by sunstroke like ripe acorns. There, I have nothing more to say now, Forbes, so you may go on with your work, and give my love to your fair daughter; or stay, I will save you the trouble, as my sister has carried off the Marquis. Here, boy," addressing a peasant lad, "hold my horse--or stay, lead it up to the stables; and tell Wilton to give you half-a-crown for your trouble;" at the same time flinging himself off his steed, he said, in sotto voce, to the farmer, "You will remember and send one, then?" "Ay, ay, sir! I'll send a laddie this very night." "All right," said the Captain. "Wilton will pay you, boy." "You are exceedingly generous with other people's money," said the Earl, who was passing again. "Lord help us! You don't grudge the boy a dirty half-crown?" "Not I; only I would give it myself if I were you. A pretty grumbling will Wilton make." "And let him grumble, and be d--d to him. How many half-crowns does he get from me, I wonder, and half-skivs too!" The Captain then walked off by himself to where Jenny Forbes still stood, and cracked some joke, which she resented by a pretty pout of her lips and ill-feigned frown. "By my troth, Jenny, you should come up to town with me; I would dress you out in silks and satins, and I am shot if you wouldn't just create a _furore!_" "I shall choose a better guide than you, when I go!" retorted the girl, with a laugh. "It will be long ere you find a better one," said the Captain, as he walked away. "Or one who thinks better of himself, either," said the girl, as a parting hit.