."

"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed Miss Dunstable. "Upon my word, Mr Gresham, I
like you amazingly. I didn't expect to meet anybody down here that
I should like half so much. You must come and see me in London, and
I'll introduce you to my three knights," and so saying, she moved
away and fell into conversation with some of the higher powers.

Frank felt himself to be rather snubbed, in spite of the strong
expression which Miss Dunstable had made in his favour. It was not
quite clear to him that she did not take him for a boy. He was, to be
sure, avenged on her for that by taking her for a middle-aged woman;
but, nevertheless, he was hardly satisfied with himself; "I might
give her a heartache yet," said he to himself, "and she might find
afterwards that she was left in the lurch with all her money." And
so he retired, solitary, into a far part of the room, and began to
think of Mary Thorne. As he did so, and as his eyes fell upon Miss
Dunstable's stiff curls, he almost shuddered.

And then the ladies retired. His aunt, with a good-natured smile on
her face, come to him as she was leaving the room, the last of the
bevy, and putting her hand on his arm, led him out into a small
unoccupied chamber which opened from the grand saloon.

"Upon my word, Master Frank," said she, "you seem to be losing no
time with the heiress. You have quite made an impression already."

"I don't know much about that, aunt," said he, looking rather
sheepish.

"Oh, I declare you have; but, Frank, my dear boy, you should not
precipitate these sort of things too much. It is well to take a
little more time: it is more valued; and perhaps, you know, on the
whole--"

Perhaps Frank might know; but it was clear that Lady de Courcy did
not: at any rate, she did not know how to express herself. Had she
said out her mind plainly, she would probably have spoken thus: "I
want you to make love to Miss Dunstable, certainly; or at any rate to
make an offer to her; but you need not make a show of yourself and of
her, too, by doing it so openly as all that." The countess, however,
did not want to reprimand her obedient nephew, and therefore did not
speak out her thoughts.

"Well?" said Frank, looking up into her face.

"Take a _leetle_ more time--that is all, my dear boy; slow and sure,
you know;" so the countess again patted his arm and went away to bed.

"Old fool!" muttered Frank to himself, as he returned to the room
where the men were still standing. He