152 The Real Charlotte, 



always provoked in rural audiences by the expletive that 

 age has been powerless to wither or custom to stale. Haw- 

 kins' amusement found vent in such a stentorian " Bravo ! " 

 that Lady Dysart turned quickly at the sound, and saw his 

 head and Francie's at the window of the brougham. Even 

 in the indifferent light of the lamps, Francie discerned dis- 

 approval in her look. She sat back precipitately. 



" Oh, Mr. Hawkins ! " she exclaimed, rashly admitting 

 that she felt the position to be equivocal ; " I think I'd 

 better get out." 



Now, if ever, was the time for Mr. Hawkins to take that 

 pull of which he had spoken so stoutly to Captain Cursiter, 

 but in addition to other extenuating circumstances, it must 

 be adiwitted that Sir Benjamin's burgundy had to some 

 slight extent made summer \u his veins, and caused him to 

 forget most things except the fact that the prettiest girl he 

 had ever seen was sitting beside him. 



" No, you sha'n't," he replied, leaning back out of the 

 light, and taking her hand as if to prevent her from moving ; 

 " you won't go, will you ? " 



He suddenly felt that he was very much in love, and 

 threw such entreaty into the foregoing unremarkable words 

 that Francie's heart beat foolishly, and her efforts to take 

 away her hand were very feeble. 



" You don't want to go away, do you ? You like sitting 

 here with me ? " 



The powers of repartee that Tommy Whitty had often 

 found so baffling failed Francie unaccountably on this occa- 

 sion. She murmured something that Hawkins chose to take 

 for assent, and in a moment he had passed his arm round 

 her waist, and possessed himself of the other hand. 



" Now, you see, you can't get away," he whispered, taking 

 a wary look out of the window of the brougham. All the 

 attention of the audience was engrossed upon the stage, 

 where, at this moment. Queen Elizabeth having chased 

 Amy and Leicester round the ottoman, was now doing her 

 best not to catch them as they together scaled the clothes- 

 horse. The brougham was behind everyone ; no one was 

 even thinking of them, and Hawkins leaned towards Francie 

 till his lips almost touched her cheek. She drew back from 

 him, but the kiss came and went in a moment, and was fol- 



