ate. I
would have done so before now but for my uncle's warning. Where can he
be?"

The Major and Mr. Belamour here came in together, and the same torrent
was beginning to be poured forth, when the latter cut it short with,
"They are about to lay the cloth. Restrain yourself, my dear boy, or---"
and as at that moment the waiter entered, he went on with the utmost
readiness--"or, as it seems, the Queen of Hungary will never make good
her claims. Pray, sir," turning to Major Delavie, "have you ever seen
these young Archduchesses whose pretensions seem likely to convulse the
continent to its centre?"

The Major, with an effort to gather his attention, replied that he could
not remember; but Betty, with greater presence of mind, described how
she had admired the two sisters of Austria as little girls walking on
the Prater. Indeed she and Mr. Belamour contrived to keep up the ball
till the Major was roused into giving an opinion of Prussian discipline,
and to tell stories of Leopold of Dessau, Eugene, and Marlborough with
sufficient zest to drive the young baronet almost frantic, especially
as Jumbo, behind his master's chair, was on the broad grin all the time,
and almost dancing in his shoes. Once he contrived to give an absolute
wink with one of his big black eyes; not, however, undetected, for Mr.
Belamour in a grave tone of reprimand ordered him off to fetch an ivory
toothpick-case.

Not till the cloth had been remove, and dishes of early strawberries and
of biscuits, accompanied by bottles of port and claret, placed on the
table, and the servants had withdrawn, did Mr. Belamour observe, "I have
penetrated the outworks."

There was an outburst of inquiry and explanation, but he was not to be
prevented from telling the story in his own way. "I know the house well,
for my brother lived there the first years of his marriage, before you
came on the stage, young sir. Perhaps you do not know how to open the
door from without?"

"Oh, sir, tell me the trick!"

Mr. Belamour held up a small pass-key. There was a certain tone of
banter about him which almost drove his nephew wild, but greatly
reassured Miss Delavie.

"Why--why keep me in torments, instead of taking me with you?" cried the
youth.

"Because I wished my expedition to be no failure. I could not tell
whether my key, which I found with my watch and seals, would still
serve me. Ah! you look on fire; but remember the outworks are not the
citadel."

"For Heav