ne
cares for.

'Good morning to you, Sir Guy Morville! I wonder what you have to say
for yourself.'

'Nothing,' said Guy, smiling; then, as he took his place by Mrs.
Edmonstone, 'I hope you are not tired after your hard day's work?'

'Not at all, thank you.'

'Amy, can you tell me the name of this flower?'

'Oh! have you really found the arrow-head? How beautiful! Where did you
get it? I didn't know it grew in our river.'

'There is plenty of it in that reedy place beyond the turn. I thought it
looked like something out of the common way.'

'Yes! What a purple eye it has! I must draw it. O, thank you.'

'And, Charlotte, Bustle has found you a moorhen's nest.'

'How delightful! Is it where I can go and see the dear little things?'

'It is rather a swamp; but I have been putting down stepping-stones for
you, and I dare say I can jump you across. It was that which made me
so late, for which I ought to have asked pardon,' said he to Mrs.
Edmonstone, with his look of courtesy.

Never did man look less like an offended lover, or like a morose
self-tormentor.

'There are others later,' said Mrs. Edmonstone, looking at Lady
Eveleen's empty chair.

'So you think that is all you have to ask pardon for,' said Mr.
Edmonstone. 'I advise you to study your apologies, for you are in pretty
tolerable disgrace.'

'Indeed, I am very sorry,' said Guy, with such a change of countenance
that Mr. Edmonstone's good nature could not bear to see it.

'Oh, 'tis no concern of mine! It would be going rather the wrong way,
indeed, for you to be begging my pardon for all the care you've been
taking of Charlie; but you had better consider what you have to say for
yourself before you show your face at Broadstone.'

'No?' said Guy, puzzled for a moment, but quickly looking relieved, and
laughing, 'What! Broadstone in despair for want of me?'

'And we perfectly exhausted with answering questions as to what was
become of Sir Guy.'

'Dreadful,' said Guy, now laughing heartily, in the persuasion that it
was all a joke.

'O, Lady Eveleen, good morning; you are come in good time to give me the
story of the ball, for no one else tells me one word about it.'

'Because you don't deserve it,' said she. 'I hope you have repented by
this time.'

'If you want to make me repent, you should give me a very alluring
description.'

'I shan't say one word about it; I shall send you to Coventry, as
Maurice and all the regiment mean to do,' sai