56 THE MASTER OF THE HOUNDS. 



"Well, Will, you look like a second Falstaff; 'hang a calf- 

 skin round his recreant limbs ! ' " 



" Fortunate, my boy, all are not of such spare dimensions as 

 yourself," replied Beauchamp ; " even the Captain's would not 

 fit ; but in Sir Lionel's vestment, although a little too long, I feel 

 myself a person of much greater importance than I did half an 

 hour ago." 



"And so you are, Will — look the baronet all over." 



"You cannot pay me a higher compliment, Fred;" with 

 which he passed over to where Constance, Blanche, and Conyers 

 were sitting. 



" How do you feel now, Beauchamp ? " asked the latter. 



" Quite well, Bob, thank you ; it raised a bit of a rash, 

 nothing more. But I fear," he said, addressing Blanche, "you 

 were frightened by my awkwardness in nearly falling upon you ; 

 but the whole thing was so sudden, that I could scarcely keep 

 my footing." 



" I was not alarmed on my own account," she replied, 

 timidly ; " but I am sure you are hur^ in protecting me, more 

 than you choose to confess/' 



" Indeed, I am not," he said ; and lowering his voice to a 

 whisper, added, "willingly, most willingly, dear Blanche, would 

 I risk my life to protect you from harm ; " which caused the 

 blood to rush to her very forehead, so deeply did these words strike 

 to her heart. Mrs. Harcourt's keen glance noticed Beauchamp's 

 impressive manner to her niece, as well as her evident confusion 

 at his words, and walking across to where they were sitting, 

 begged Constance and Blanche to sing the last duet they had 

 been practising together. Refusal was out of the question ; and 

 as the two girls rose to go to the piano, Mrs. Harcourt detained 

 Beauchamp by asking his advice about her pet spaniel, but, in 

 reality, to detach him from her niece, and try to discover his 

 true feelings towards her. After the dog's malady had been 

 discussed, she asked, " Don't you think Blanche very much im- 

 proved in her singing, Mr. Beauchamp 1 " 



" Yes, indeed, she is," was the frank reply ; " she sings 

 charmingly, and is a sweet, unaffected girl." 



" She must not now be treated as a girl any longer, Mr. 

 Beauchamp, having nearly reached her eighteenth year; and 

 she is to be introduced, as I dare say you have heard, at our 

 next Christmas ball ; and considering her position, fortune, and 

 personal attractions, Mr. Harcourt and myself are justified, I 

 think, in expecting that she will form some high matrimonial 

 connection." 



