A "SWELLS 81 



nearly being provided with that luxury last season ; but 

 if the young lady were anxious to marry him she spoilt 

 her chance, as many of us do spoil our chances, by 

 being too keen. It was for her sweet sake that he sat 

 out the opera aforesaid, and, being invited to Leicester- 

 shire, a too ardent mother thought proper to carry on 

 the campaign by sending her daughter, an admirable 

 rider, out hunting with the Fallowfield. 



The enchantress, anxious to display her skill and 

 courage to the best advantage, jumped one or two 

 fences a length before Tourneymeade — too immediately 

 before him, in fact; for once, cutting in at the last 

 moment, his horse swerved, came down, and afforded 

 its noble owner an excellent view of four glittering 

 shoes passing within a few inches of his head. 



" A deuced nice girl when she's sitting on a chair," 

 is Tourneymeade's present verdict upon the charmer; 

 " but when she gets on a horse she baulks you at your 

 fences, and jumps on you when you are down." 



And, on the whole, his equanimity was so seriously 

 disturbed by the young lady's exploits, that I fancy her 

 chance is over. 



If he is not clever — and truth compels the statement 

 that he is not — Tourneymeade is generous, kind- 

 hearted, and thoroughly a gentleman. No doubt some 

 day he will marry a lady who is not an Amazon ; and, 

 if she be shrewd and sensible, Tourneymeade will make 

 an excellent country gentleman, and be a credit and 

 satisfaction to his county. 



G 



