378 THE MASTER OF THE HOUNDS. 



" But in a love-race is .seldom a loser, Lord Henry, if the 

 young lady has to decide herself." 



" Then Miss Douglas, in your opinion, would neither have 

 accepted Danby, Ayrshire, or any other, notwithstanding Har- 

 court's assertions to the contrary, and would have continued 

 constant to Beauchamp until she became mistress of her own 

 fortune 1 " 



"Certainly, Lord Henry ; 'still waters run deep,' and Blanche 

 feels deeply, although her true character is not known to com- 

 mon acquaintances." 



" Well, Miss Markham, she has made fools of many knowing- 

 hands this season." 



" Or rather," replied Selina, " they have made fools of them- 

 selves, by choosing to assume that a young country girl must 

 of necessity be such a simpleton as to be taken directly by 

 their nattering, fulsome, fine speeches. We are not quite 

 the Jenny Haws you are condescending enough to think us, 

 my lord." 



" So it appears, Miss Markham ; and I'll bet a cool hundred 

 Ayrshire does not forget the name of Douglas for these next 

 ten years, if then. Well, that supercilious fool wanted a settler, 

 and he has got one at last. Egad ! all the women were at him 

 like magpies round a tame hawk, when they found his wing 

 had been clipped, and he bolted at once for the Continent. And 

 you, Miss Markham, have, I fear, made sad havoc with some 

 hearts also." 



" Not with yours, my lord, I hope." 



" Why, no, not exactly yet, Miss Markham ; although, I 

 must confess a little 'penchant was beginning to spring up, 

 when I was informed you had decided on being an old man's 

 darling." 



" Well, my lord, if such were the case, that is far preferable 

 to being a gambler's wife." 



" Thank you for that compliment, Miss Markham." 



" Which your impertinence called forth, Lord Henry ; 

 ■young gentlemen should not pry into the secrets of ladies' work- 

 boxes, where they may find needles which will prick their 

 fingers." 



" It is only what I deserved ; but I hope we shall still be 

 friends, and I will keep clear of the needles for the future, 

 which I feel can prick confoundedly. But why call a lady's 

 heart a workbox ? " 



" Because the heart lies in the chest ; and an Italian friend 



