THE MONNIELACK SHOOTINGS 155 



with you; the whole thing done in a jiffey. So now I'll just 

 run up and change, and we will be down in no time ! " And 

 before the Colonel had recovered from the news of Mrs. Spiller, 

 the Captain was off. 



" Well, I'm damned ! " said the Colonel, with a bang of his 

 fist on the table. 



" Sir ! " cried Mr. Auldjoe, with a vigorous peck at his plate. 



" Rather cool, at any rate," observed I. 



"Pardon my expression, Mr. Auldjoe," interposed the 

 Colonel ; " and now, gentlemen, let us think what is best to 

 be done." Then suddenly remembering Mrs. Lovewell, he 

 exclaimed, with both hands held aloft, "Good gracious, what 

 wz7/ my wife say ? Excuse me, I must run upstairs and tell 

 her." 



Left alone with Auldjoe, he remarked to me, " This is a 

 matter which is undoubtedly a breach of good faith, and one 

 which must seriously affect the harmony of our party ; but for 

 the moment I opine our wisest course will be to make the best 

 of it." To this pompous but feeble speech I dolefully assented. 



The Colonel presently returned, saying, "Thank heavens! 

 Mrs. Lovewell heard the news without being very much put 

 out." 



Dinner proceeded silently, slowly, and uncomfortably. 

 Half way through the meal, the Captain appeared with his 

 bride, and if they had been brother and sister they could not 

 have been more alike — slight, fair, ferrety-eyed, freckled, and 

 thirty ; neither showed any sign of blushing or embarrassment, 

 but took their seats as if they had been expected guests. She 

 was arrayed in a flaming tea-gown, while he wore a gorgeous 

 smoking suit. All went fairly well till coffee with cigarettes 

 arrived, whereupon the bride rose, and saying that she did not 

 like the smell of tobacco in any shape, asked the Colonel to 

 show her the drawing-room. 



On rejoining us the Colonel explained to Spiller that we 

 were accustomed to smoke in the drawing-room as well in the 



