80 THE MASTER OF THE HOUNDS. 



"You are entitled to my confidence," said Beauchamp, 

 " and in this matter particularly, where you have also an 

 interest, but it must not pass your lips." He then related 

 Mark's story. 



"Ah, that scoundrel Vernon," exclaimed Bob; "revenge is 

 sweet. I see it all, and must sleep here to-night, that you and 

 I may talk over this business in the morning, and take Con- 

 stance into our counsels. Women are quicker in such cases 

 than men, so no more now on this subject." 



The next morning, Constance was admitted to the confer- 

 ence on Lord Mervyn's plot ; and although expressing herself 

 quite willing to warn her friend of her danger, her ojrinion was, 

 that Blanche might probably consider her interference in an 

 equivocal light, and savouring perhaps of interested motives. 



" You are right, Con," said Bob, " and this warning will 

 come better from me ; I will bring it about, somehow or other, 

 so that neither you, your brother, nor Mark, can be compro- 

 mised, as I am acquainted with a young fellow, belonging to 

 Lord Yancourt' s club in London, who knows him tolerably 

 well, and from whom I can obtain all the information we re- 

 quire, as to his fortune, character, &c. &c. ; for the rest, trust 

 the brains of an old fox-hunter to checkmate these crafty lords 

 at their game of gammon. The Harcourts are all invited to 

 Compton's on Friday next, the day before our fixture there, 

 when I hear there is to be a little dance in the evening ; but 

 don't either you or Will even allude to such a person as Lord 

 Vancourt." 



We must now pass over a few days, until the evening of 

 Friday, in the ensuing week, when, about half-past nine, all the 

 principal families in the neighbourhood were assembled in the 

 grand saloon at Mr. Compton's house, which had been tastefully 

 arranged as a ball-room for this occasion. Among the company, 

 Conyers recognised, much to his surprise, Captain Melville, to 

 whom he had written a few days previously about Lord 

 Yancourt. 



"Ah ! Melville," exclaimed Conyers, " what brings you into 

 this part of the world V 



" Why, to tell you the truth, old fellow, and I don't think 

 you'll blab, it is a little bit of speculation. Colonel Rolleston 

 wrote me word, there was a young heiress coming out down 

 here, and if I liked to try my luck, he would do what he could 

 to help me. So here I am, staying with Bolleston ; and if the 

 young lady is good-looking, as well as rich, I should not mind 



