A square-set man and honest.

— TENNYSON.

“DICK,” said Lord Newhaven, laying hold of that gentleman as he was leaving Tattersall’s, “what mischief have you been up to for the last ten days?”

“I lay low till I got my clothes,” said Dick, “and then I went to the Duke of —. I’ve just been looking at a hack for him. He says he does not want one that takes a lot of sitting on. I met him the first night I landed. In fact, I stepped out of the train on to his royal toe travelling incog. I was just going to advise him to draw in his feelers a bit, and give the Colonies a chance, when he turned round and I saw who it was. I knew him when I was A.D.C. at Melbourne before I took to the drink. He said he thought he’d know my foot anywhere, and asked me down for — races.

“And you enjoyed it? ”

“Rather. I did not know what to call the family at first, so I asked him if he had any preference and what was the right thing, and he told me how I must hop up whenever he came in, and all that sort of child’s play. There was a large party and some uncommonly pretty women. And I won a tenner off his Royal Highness, and here I am.”

“And what are you going to do now? ”

“Go down to the city and see what Darnell’s cellars are like before I store my wine in them. It won’t take long. Er! — I Say, Cack — Newhaven?”

“Well?”

“Ought I to — how about my calling on Miss —. I never caught her name?”

“Miss West, the heiress?”

“Yes. Little attention on my part.”

“Did she ask you to call?”

“No, but I think it was an oversight. I expect she would like it.”

“Well, then, go and be — snubbed.”

“I don’t want snubbing. A little thing like me wants encouragement.”

“A good many other people are on the look out for encouragement in that quarter.”

“That settles it,” said Dick, “I’ll go at once. I’ve got to call on Lady Susan Gresley, and I’ll take Miss —”

“West. West. West.”

“Miss West on the way.”