ave from their prying eyes; with the glance of a tax-collector they
pounced upon the defaulter, and made him pay. Barely or never smiling
themselves, they really felt all the eagerness, all the excitement
of gambling; and I question if, after all, their hard looks and stern
features were not the best fun of the whole.

After about two hours had been thus occupied, during which I had won
the esteem and affection of several elderly ladies by the equanimity
and high-mindedness with which I bore up against the loss of two whole
baskets of counters, amounting to the sum of four-and-sixpence, I felt
my shoulder gently touched, and at the same moment Bob Mahon whispered
in my ear--'The Dillons are going, and he wants to speak a word with
you; so give me your cards, and slip away.'

Resigning my place to the Major, whose advent was received with evident
signs of dissatisfaction, inasmuch as he was a shrewd player, I hurried
through the room to find out Dillon.

'Ah, here he is!' said Miss Bellew to her uncle, while she pointed to
me. 'How provoking to go away so early--isn't it, Mr. Hinton?'

'You, doubtless, feel it so,' said I, with something of pique in my
manner; 'your evening has been so agreeably passed.'

'And yours, too, if I am to judge from the laughter of your card-table.
I am sure I never heard so noisy a party. Well, Mary, does he consent?'

'No; papa is still obstinate, and the carriage is ordered. He says
we shall have so much gaiety this week that we must go home early
to-night.'

'There! there! now be good girls; get on your muffling, and let us be
off. Ah, Mr. Hinton!--the very man I wanted. Will you do us the very
great favour of coming over for a few days to Mount Brown? We shall have
the partridge-shooting after to-morrow, and I think I can show you some
sport. May I send in for you in the morning? What hour will suit you?
You will not refuse me, I trust?'

'I need not say, my dear sir, how obliged I feel for and with what
pleasure I should accept your kind invitation; but the truth is, I've
come away without leave of absence. The duke may return any day, and I
shall be in a sad scrape.'

'Do you think a few days----'

A look from Louisa Bellew, at this moment, came most powerfully in
aid of her uncle's eloquence. I hesitated, and looked uncertain how to
answer.

'There, girls! now is your time. He is half persuaded to do a kind
thing; do try and convince him the whole way. Come, Mary! Fanny!