The Real Charlotte. 47 



She bad instantly realised that these were those heroes of 

 romance, "the Lismoyle officers," the probabilities of her 

 alliance with one of whom had been the subject of some 

 elegant farewell badinage on the part of her bosom friend, 

 Miss Fanny Hemphill. Francie's acquaintance with the 

 British army had hitherto been limited to one occasion 

 when, at a Sandymount evening band performance, " one of 

 the officers from Beggars' Bush Barracks "--so she had con- 

 fided to Miss Hemphill — had taken off his hat to her, and 

 been very polite until Aunt Tish had severely told him that 

 no true gentleman would converse with a lady without she 

 was presented to him, and had incontinendy swept her home. 

 She could see them quite plainly now, and from the fact that 

 the man who had been rooting among the coals was now 

 sitting up, evidently at the behest of the steersman, and 

 looking at her, it was clear that she had attracted attention 

 too Even the black mare pricked her ears, and stared at 

 this new kind of dragon-fly creature that went noisily by, 

 leaving a feathery smear on the air behind it, and just then 

 Mr. Lambert rode out of the stableyard, and looked about 

 him for his charge. 



" Francie ! " he called with perceptible impatience ; " what 

 are you at down there ? " 



The steam-launch had by this time passed the opening, 

 and Francie turned and rode towards him. Her hat was a 

 good deal on the back of her head, and her brilliant hair 

 caught the sunshine ; the charm of her supple figure atoned 

 for the crookedness of her seat, and her eyes shone with an 

 excitement born of the delightful sight of soldiery. 



"Oh, Mr. Lambert, weren't those the officers?" she cried, 

 as he rode up to her ; " which was which ? Haven't they a 

 grand little steamer ? " 



Lambert's temper had apparently not been improved by 

 his conversation with Julia Duffy ; instead of answering 

 Miss Fitzpatrick he looked at her with a clouded brow, and 

 in his heart he said, " Damn the officers ! " 



" I wonder which of them is the captain ? " continued 

 Francie ; "I suppose it is the little fair one ; he was much 

 the best dressed, and he was making the other one do all 

 the work ? " 



Lambert gave a scornful laugh. 



