n which
the match was ridden arose--'" here Dolly stopped shortly, her colour
mounting, and cried out with a stamp of her foot. "You are not content
to bring publicity upon yourself, who deserve it, but must needs drag
innocent names into the newspapers."

"What have they said?" I demanded, ready to roll every printer in London
in the kennel.

"Nay, you may read for yourself," said she. And, flinging the paper in
my lap, left the room.

They had not said much more, Heaven be praised. But I was angry and
mortified as I had never been before, realizing for the first time
what a botch I had made of my stay in London. In great dejection, I was
picking up my hat to leave the house, when Mrs. Manners came in upon
me, and insisted that I should stay for dinner. She was very white, and
seemed troubled and preoccupied, and said that Mr. Manners had come back
from York with a cold on his chest, but would insist upon joining the
party to Vauxhall on Monday. I asked her when she was going to the
baths, and suggested that the change would do her good. Indeed, she
looked badly.

"We are not going, Richard," she replied; "Dorothy will not hear of
it. In spite of the doctor she says she is not ill, and must attend at
Vauxhall, too. You are asked?"

I said that Mr. Storer had included me. I am sure, from the way she
looked at me, that she did not heed my answer. She appeared to hesitate
on the verge of a speech, and glanced once or twice at the doors.

"Richard, I suppose you are old enough to take care of yourself, tho'
you seem still a child to me. I pray you will be careful, my boy," she
said, with something of the affection she had always borne me, "for your
grandfather's sake, I pray you will run into no more danger. I--we are
your old friends, and the only ones here to advise you."

She stopped, seemingly, to weigh the wisdom of what was to come next,
while I leaned forward with an eagerness I could not hide. Was she to
speak of the Duke of Chartersea? Alas, I was not to know. For at that
moment Dorothy came back to inquire why I was not gone to the cudgelling
at the Three Hats. I said I had been invited to stay to dinner.

"Why, I have writ a note asking Comyn," said she. "Do you think the
house will hold you both?"

His Lordship came in as we were sitting down, bursting with some news,
and he could hardly wait to congratulate Dolly on her recovery before he
delivered it.

"Why, Richard," says the dog, "what do you t