ed her
mouth concerning what she knew of the Fallow field business, dreading
to alarm his sensitiveness; but she could not avoid giving him a little
slap. It was only to make him remember by the smart that he must always
suffer when he would not be guided by her.

Evan professed to the Jocelyns that he was willing to apologize to
Laxley for certain expressions; determining to leave the house when he
had done it. The Countess heard and nodded. The young men, sounded on
both sides, were accordingly lured to the billiard-room, and pushed
together: and when he had succeeded in thrusting the idea of Rose from
the dispute, it did seem such folly to Evan's common sense, that he
spoke with pleasant bonhommie about it. That done, he entered into
his acted part, and towered in his conceit considerably above these
aristocratic boors, who were speechless and graceless, but tigers for
their privileges and advantages.

It will not be thought that the Countess intended to permit her
brother's departure. To have toiled, and yet more, to have lied and
fretted her conscience, for nothing, was as little her principle, as to
quit the field of action till she is forcibly driven from it is that of
any woman.

'Going, my dear,' she said coolly. 'To-morrow? Oh! very well. You are
the judge. And this creature--the insolvent to the apple-woman, who
is coming, whom you would push here--will expose us, without a soul to
guide his conduct, for I shall not remain. And Carry will not remain.
Carry---!' The Countess gave a semisob. 'Carry must return to her
brute--' meaning the gallant Marine, her possessor.

And the Countess, knowing that Evan loved his sister Caroline,
incidentally related to him an episode in the domestic life of Major and
Mrs. Strike.

'Greatly redounding to the credit of the noble martinet for the
discipline he upholds,' the Countess said, smiling at the stunned youth.

'I would advise you to give her time to recover from one bruise,' she
added. 'You will do as it pleases you.'

Evan was sent rushing from the Countess to Caroline, with whom the
Countess was content to leave him.

The young man was daintily managed. Caroline asked him to stay, as she
did not see him often, and (she brought it in at the close) her home
was not very happy. She did not entreat him, but looking resigned, her
lovely face conjured up the Major to Evan, and he thought, 'Can I drive
her back to her tyrant?' For so he juggled with himself to have