l68 The Real Charlotte. 



newspaper with every appearance of absorbed interest, 

 treated the alternative theories of drowning or elopement 

 with optimistic indifference; and Miss Hope-Drummond, 

 while disclaiming any idea of either danger, dwelt on the 

 social aspect of the affair so ably as almost to reduce her 

 hostess to despair. Cursiter was down at the pier, seriously 

 debating with himself as to the advisability of rowing the 

 long four miles back to Lismoyle, and giving his opinion to 

 Mr. Hawkms in language that would, he hoped, surprise 

 even that bland and self-satisfied young gentleman. There 

 Pamela found him standing, as desolate as Sir Bedivere when 

 the Three Queens had carried away King Arthur in their 

 barge, and from thence she led him, acquiescing with sombre 

 politeness in the prospect of dining out for the second time 

 in one week, and wondering whether Providence would 

 again condemn him to sit next Miss Hope-Drummond, and 

 prattle to her about the Lincolnshire Cursiters. He felt as 

 if talking to Pamela would make the situation more endur- 

 able. She knew how to let a man alone, and when she did 

 talk she had something to say, and did not scream twaddle 

 at you like a peacock. These unamiable reflections will 

 serve to show the irritation of Captain Cursiter's mind, and 

 as he stalked into dinner with Lady Dysart, and found that 

 for her sake he had better make the best of his subaltern's 

 iniquity, he was a man much to be pitied. 



CHAPTER XXIII 



At about this very time it so happened that Mr. Hawkins 

 was also beginning to be sorry for himself. The run to 

 Lismoyle had been capital fun, and though the steering and 

 the management of the machinery took up more of his 

 attention than he could have wished, he had found Francie's 

 society more delightful than ever. The posting of a letter, 

 which he had fortunately found in his pocket, had been the 

 pretext for the expedition, and both he and Francie 

 confidently believed that they would get back to Bruff at 

 about six o'clock. It is true that Mr. Hawkins received 

 ratiier a shock when, on arriving at Lismoyle, he found that 



