eyes. I have hated them ever since, with their
easy-going, devil-me-care ways."

"But surely, uncle, you would not make all suffer for the fault of one;
and I suppose your rival loved the lady," urged Ada.

"Love her, I suppose he did love her; but he had no business to do so, I
tell you. I already looked upon her as my wife!" exclaimed the colonel,
stamping down his stick vehemently on the floor, and speaking so loud
that several people must have heard him.

"But did the lady confess her affection for you, uncle?" asked his
niece.

"Confess her love!--why, ay, no--that is, I never asked her; or, rather,
she took it into her head to refuse me altogether."

Fleetwood was about to follow, but he suddenly stopped.

"It will only enrage the old man, and excite suspicions in his mind.
Perhaps he will insult me to get rid of me altogether,--I had better
not."

Ada found herself seated next to Lady Marmion, with whose niece Jack
Raby was dancing. Her attention was easily riveted by the praises which
her ladyship lavished on Captain Fleetwood, and the secret of her
affection, if secret it could be called, was easily penetrated by the
astute dame.

"Now, my dear, you know I like him, though I do not like the navy in
general. Their coats smell of tar and cockroaches, and their
conversation is all about their ships and their adventures at sea and on
shore; and then you know they are generally so poor, that it is
dangerous to let a girl talk to them. Captain Fleetwood is not very
rich, I believe; but then he has prospects, and they should be taken
into consideration."

"I really do not know," said Ada. "It never occurred to me to calculate
the fortunes of the gentlemen with whom I am acquainted."

"Oh, you will grow more prudent, my dear, some day," observed her
ladyship. "But who can that particularly handsome man be walking this
way, with Captain Dunnup? By the way, my dear, I should recommend you
to keep that Captain Dunnup at a distance. I gave Jane the same advice,
for you know he has entirely run through his property; and they say,
besides, that he is completely in the hands of the Jews. Dear me, here
he comes with the stranger."

As she spoke, two gentlemen were advancing towards the spot where she
and Ada Garden were sitting. The one she alluded to was a
dissipated-looking young man, though with a well-bred air, and rather
handsome. The other was decidedly so--indeed, he might well have been
cons