ABOUT BUYING A HORSE. 97 



tip of her nose, discovers the gleam of a pair of eyes which 

 must be very briUiant, as they, even now, appear Hke bright 

 lights behind a wire-gauze blind. But this, with the excep- 

 tion of the mouth and chin, is all I can see of her. It is Mrs. 

 Pullinger. The next Lady he introduces as Miss — I think 

 he says — Ozlewum, or some name like that, but he is so 

 indistinct I can't catch it ; while the third Lady he says is 

 " My cousin, Miss (Something or other)," and again I can 

 not understand him. He explains that " Mr." (another name 

 I can't catch as we bow politely) is the gentleman with whom 

 he is staying now, about five miles from us, and the 

 Mr. 



Happy Thought. — Mr. X. — " an unknown quantity. '^ 



Then Mr. X. says he hopes " I'll make a call upon 

 /zm." 



This gives a sudden turn to the conversation ; and so it 

 happens that the Young Lady in the Riding-habit is not in- 

 troduced at all. 



We talk of the county, of the weather, of the shooting, of 

 the fishing, of croquet, of the neighbours, in a jerky and 

 forced manner, but the Young Lady in the Riding-habit is 

 never appealed to, is never asked a question, never cor- 

 roborates, never starts a subject ; never, in short, speaks. 

 I try to lug her in occasionally, in order that she may tell me 

 who she is. She is very blue-eyed, pale-haired, with a 

 childish-looking face, and a vague smile. I mention, in order 

 to interest her, that I am in search of a horse. She bows, 

 and looks pleased, but says nothing. Perhaps she would 



