and he gave up Ryelands; never asked for
it, though he won it. Consequence was, he commanded the services of
somebody pretty high. And it was he got Admiral Harrington made a
captain, posted, commodore, admiral, and K.C.B., all in seven years! In
the Army it 'd have been half the time, for the H.R.H. was stronger in
that department. Now, I know old Burley promised Mel to leave him his
money, and called the Admiral an ungrateful dog. He didn't give Mel much
at a time--now and then a twenty-pounder or so--I saw the cheques. And
old Mel expected the money, and looked over his daughters like a
turkey-cock. Nobody good enough for them. Whacking handsome gals--three!
used to be called the Three Graces of Lymport. And one day Burley comes
and visits Mel, and sees the girls. And he puts his finger on the eldest,
I can tell you. She was a spanker! She was the handsomest gal, I think,
ever I saw. For the mother's a fine woman, and what with the mother, and
what with old Mel--'

'We won't enter into the mysteries of origin,' quoth Lady Jocelyn.

'Exactly, my lady. Oh, your servant, of course. Before ladies. A Burley
Bennet, I said. Long and short was, he wanted to take her up to London.
Says old Mel: "London 's a sad place."--"Place to make money," says
Burley. "That's not work for a young gal," says Mel. Long and short was,
Burley wanted to take her, and Mel wouldn't let her go.' Mr. George
lowered his tone, and mumbled, 'Don't know how to explain it very well
before ladies. What Burley wanted was--it wasn't quite honourable, you
know, though there was a good deal of spangles on it, and whether a real
H.R.H., or a Marquis, or a Viscount, I can't say, but--the offer was
tempting to a tradesman. "No," says Mel; like a chap planting his
flagstaff and sticking to it. I believe that to get her to go with him,
Burley offered to make a will on the spot, and to leave every farthing of
his money and property--upon my soul, I believe it to be true--to Mel and
his family, if he'd let the gal go. "No," says Mel. I like the old bird!
And Burley got in a rage, and said he'd leave every farthing to the
sailor. Says Mel: "I'm a poor tradesman; but I have and I always will
have the feelings of a gentleman, and they're more to me than hard cash,
and the honour of my daughter, sir, is dearer to me than my blood. Out of
the house!" cries Mel. And away old Burley went, and left every penny to
the sailor, Admiral Harrington, who never noticed 'em an i