294 PARTRIDGE MANORS AND 



field sports ; he was not a rich man, quite the con- 

 trary, £300 a year at his father's death was all he 

 had left to him, yet he managed to keep up a toler- 

 able appearance even in London, and was engaged 

 to one of the most beautiful girls I ever saw, and 

 with a nice little fortune of her own. 



" Lenox was very fond and very proud of her, 

 as well he might be ; everything was arranged, the 

 day fixed, trousseau bought, and his pretty little 

 cottage in Hampshire newly and tastefully furnished 

 to receive its new mistress. But, lo ! a week before 

 their wedding the young lady eloped with a noble- 

 man, and they were married before Lenox knew 

 anything about it. 



" He said little, but felt it deeply ; all were sorry 

 for him, for he was a great favourite. 



" Shortly after his pretty little cottage was sold, 

 and with his effects Lenox vanished mysteriously 

 no one knew whither. 



" I went abroad, and was away many years, and, 

 therefore, had no means of finding out where he had 

 betaken himself to, or what he was doing. 



" After more than twenty years' absence I re- 

 turned to the old land ; I had been satiated with 

 sport of all kinds in different parts of the globe, and 

 did not feel inclined to give the high prices asked 

 for shootings. 



