well," said Lieutenant Ogilvie. "If we could all get
what we want, there would scarcely be an officer in Aldershot Camp on
the 12th of August. But I must say there are some capitally good fellows
in our mess--and it isn't every one gets the chance you offer me--and
there's none of the dog-in-the-manger feeling about them: in short. I do
believe, Macleod, that I could get off for a week or so about the 20th."

"The 20th? So be it. Then you will have the blackcock added in."

"When do you leave?"

"On the 1st of August--the morning after my garden party. You must come
to it, Ogilvie. Lady Beauregard has persuaded her husband to put off
their going to Ireland for three days in order to come. And I have got
old Admiral Maitland coming--with his stories of the press-gang, and of
Nelson, and of the raids on the merchant-ships for officers for the
navy. Did you know that Miss Rawlinson was an old sweetheart of his? He
knew her when she lived in Jamaica with her father--several centuries
ago you would think, judging by their stories. Her father got L28,000
from the government when his slaves were emancipated. I wish I could get
the old admiral up to Dare--he and the mother would have some stories to
tell, I think. But you don't like long journeys at ninety-two."

He was in a pleasant and talkative humor, this bright-faced and stalwart
young fellow, with his proud, fine features and his careless air. One
could easily see how these old folks had made a sort of a pet of him.
But while he went on with this desultory chatting about the various
people whom he had met, and the friendly invitations he had received,
and the hopes he had formed of renewing his acquantainceship with this
person and the next person, should chance bring him again to London
soon, he never once mentioned the name of Miss Gertrude White, or
referred to her family, or even to her public appearances, about which
there was plenty of talk at this time. Yet Lieutenant Ogilvie, on his
rare visits to London, had more than once heard Sir Keith Macleod's name
mentioned in conjunction with that of the young actress whom society was
pleased to regard with a special and unusual favor just then; and once
or twice he, as Macleod's friend, had been archly questioned on the
subject by some inquisitive lady, whose eyes asked more than her words.
But Lieutenant Ogilvie was gravely discreet. He neither treated the
matter with ridicule, nor, on the other hand, did he pretend t