TIIE LIFEGUARDSilAN" CONQUERED. 403 



In a few minutes a low chair was brought in for the 

 captain's especial use, with a footstool to rest his leg upon, and 

 being engaged to Miss Honoria for the first quadrille, that 

 young lady, in compassion to his misfortunes, insisted on sitting 

 with him during the dance. Now, on what exact terms it was 

 effected, we are not at liberty to disclose ; but certain it is that 

 this little attention of the young lady, coupled with some 

 melting looks from a pair of very beautiful black eyes, so 

 softened the captain's heart, that a declaration of love followed, 

 and crimson cheeks, with down-cast looks, were the only 

 answers returned, which the captain took as intended. 



The pressure of her hand, with a few sotto voce whisperings 

 of love and devotion succeeded, with a conclusion more in alto — 

 " Eh ! 'pon honour, how romantic, and all that sort of thing." 



Selina, who had been casting searching glances towards the 

 happy pair, felt assured, by the young lady's behaviour, that the 

 die was cast. " Here, Bob," she exclaimed to her partner, " that 

 fool, Ned, has fallen into the mash-tub at last, and I'll bet a 

 pony, as Lord Henry says, that Miss Honoria has booked him. 

 My gracious ! what a row there will be, when mamma finds we 

 are to have Mrs. Winter for a mother-in-law." 



" Any way, my dear, hers is a better name than Hogsflesh, 

 and I know Ned had serious ideas about a young lady of that 

 name in London, this season, the daughter of a retired soap- 

 boiler. Honoria herself is very well — a pretty, unassuming, 

 well-educated girl ; and, I can tell you, a brewery is a very 

 lucrative, safe investment, with large returns, and the business 

 itself quite respectable; so, on the whole, Ned has decided 

 wisely, and we must put up with the old lady's vulgarities, if 

 indeed she is disposed to trouble us with them, which I very 

 much question." 



" Ah ! Bob, you are ever making the best of things." 



" And so, my dear, I hope you also, for the future, will look 

 always on the sunny side, which is the wisest thing to do." 



CHAPTER L. 



We must now turn our attention to Mrs. Fortescue and Fred 

 Beauchamp, who were lounging (the latter at least) through a 

 quadrille. 



" What do you think," he was asking her, " of our country 

 practices at a wedding 1 our rustic games and dances 1 " 



z 2 



