very rough endeavor to restore the
broken plume. "Had you held your head lower down, in the attitude of
a bull's attack, I should have lassoed you at once, and without
difficulty."

"Lasso is part of the verb 'to weary,' 'to fatigue,' 'to _ennuyer,_ in
fact," said Mr. Linton, with an admirably-put-on simplicity; and a very
general smile ran through the company.

"When did you see Gosford?" said Meek, addressing one of the hussar
officers, eager to relieve the momentary embarrassment.

"Not for six months; he 's in Paris now." "Does he mention _me_ in his
letter to you?"

"He does," said the other, but with an evident constraint, and a
side-look as he ended.

"Yes, faith, he forgets nane of us," said Sir Andrew, with a grin. "He
asks after Kannyfack,--ould sax-and-eightpence, he ca's you,--and says
he wished you were at Paris, to gie him a dinner at the--what d' ye
ca' it?--the Roshy de something. I see he has a word for ye, my Lord
Kilgoff. He wants to know whether my leddie is like to gie ye an heir
to the ancient house o' Kilgoff, in whilk case he 'll no be so fond of
playing ecarte wi' George Lushington, wha has naething to pay wi' except
post-obits on yer lordship,--he, he, he! Ay, and Charlie, my man,"
continued he, turning to the aide-de-camp, Lord Charles Frobisher, "he
asks if ye hauld four by honors as often as ye used formerly; he says
there 's a fellow at Paris ye could n't hold a candle to,--he never
deals the adversary a card higher than the nine."

The whole company, probably in relief to the evident dismay created by
the allusion to Lord Kilgoff, laughed heartily at this sally, and none
more than the good-looking fellow the object of it.

"But what of Meek, sir?--what does he say of Downie?"

"He says vera little about Mister Meek, ava; he only inquires what
changes we have in the poleetical world, and where is that d--d humbug,
Downie Meek?"

Another and a heartier laugh now ran through the room, in which Mr.
Downie Meek cast the most Imploring looks around him.

"Well," cried he, at last, "that's not fair; it is really not fair of
Gosford. I appeal to this excellent company if I deserve the title."

A chorus of negatives went the round, with most energetic assurances of
dissenting from the censure of the letter.

"Come now, Sir Andrew," said Meek, who for once, losing his balance,
would not even omit him in the number of approving voices,--"come, now,
Sir Andrew, I ask you frankly, am I a