patch of grass they called their "mind," until
they knew every corner of it by heart. Their
wells, in which there was such brackish talk as
horses, uniforms, my setter pup, and jolly cigars,
had long been pumped dry. Heads turned
eagerly to drink up the clear brook of Carter talk.
And yet he was insinuating and deferential, and
with skilful tact suffered Fermor to lead.

After dinner there came the little ante-room,
the playground, where the youths could
disport with tobacco and strong drinks. A few
got out the card-table, and applied
themselves painfully to the serious game of whist.
Major Carter shook his head sadly as he was
asked to take a hand. "No, no," he said.
"What I know of whist was bought a little
expensively. A very pretty corner of Carterstown
had to pay for bad play. After that night I
gave up. Ask General Munro (then Colonel
Munro—he was there the whole night) if I
did not bear it pretty well." There being
now a promiscuous distribution of cigars,
Major Carter giving in on one point, said,
good humouredly, "Come, I tell you what, I
will take a cigar. Thanks." When the cigars
were lit all round, and the room seemed glowing
like a coal country at night, Major Carter got
very pleasant, and began to unpack some of the
little worldly wares he had gathered up in his
journey through life. He set before them
ghostly dinner-parties, ghostly balls, little
domestic farces, in which Sandwich, Lord Yokel's
brother, who was humorously called by his friends
Lobster Sandwich, from the colour of his face,
figured. General—then Colonel—Munro also had
part in these recollections. More interesting,
however, was it when Major Carter brought upon
the scene a certain Maltese lady, whom he nad
met in garrison, "really one of the finest
creatures in the Italian way" he ever encountered in
the whole course of his life. "For myself,"
continued Major Carter, "I am not very much in
that line; and men tell me such and such
women are handsome, and of course I take
their word for it. But really, when I saw this
girl coming down the Strada Reale, literally
lighting up the pathway, I confess I did feel
ever so little curious about her."

The youths settled themselves to listen
earnestly—for the least, the youngest not
eighteen, may speak judicially on this subject—
when a mess waiter entered with a card in his
hand, and said to Farmer, "That gentleman
wishes to see you."

"Who can want me at this time? 'Sir
Hopkins Pocock!' O!" the captain added, aloud,
and rose to go out. He therefore did not see
the curious effect of this name on his friend.
Major Carter gave a scared look round from one
to the other, and half rose too.

"Well," said Young Brett, breathless, "what
did she do then?"

"Why then——" Major Carter said,
abstractedly: "I must go now. Had no idea—so
late."

A tumult of protest. "O, hang it.
Confound it! Tell us about the woman."

"Must, indeed," said Major Carter, looking
uneasily at the door. "Letters, you know.
Good night—good night."

Meanwhile, Fermor was greeted warmly by his
relation. "Just been up at your lodgings.
Followed you down here. Don't know that I
should know you, though."

"You must come in, my dear sir," said
Fermor, with warmth; "we are just sitting
after dinner. I asked a friend, Major Carter."

"Carter—Major Carter. Is he here?"

"O yes," said Fermor. "A sharp clever
man of the world."

"Am sure he is the same—met him at
Monaco. And a friend of yours. Come, I
will go in and sit down for a few minutes."

As they entered, they brushed by the major,
who was hurrying out, with his hat half way
raised, as it were to catch a train.

"Good gracious! where are you going?" said
Fermor, catching him by the arm.

"I must go," said the major, in a low whisper,
still bent upon catching his train. "Please let
me—business." Curiously, too, he spoke with his
face to the wall, and turned away from Fermor.

"Major Carter, Major Carter!" said the
diplomatist, with undiplomatic heartiness, "we
have met before. You recollect me—Pocock?
So glad. So very glad." And the diplomatic
head was jerked on one side, and the diplomatic
hand held out.

Major Carter slowly took a sort of under
look at him, much as a dog does suspicious of
his master, and instantly changing into the
former crisp Major Carter that was sitting
telling of the Maltese lady, became delighted to
welcome an old acquaintance met with at
Monaco.

"Sir Hopkins Pocock," said Fermor,
introducing him to the company, "Major Dobbs, Mr.
Slack, Captain Showers."

The hospitality of a cigar was promptly offered,
and several open cases were proffered. Sir
Hopkins chose one carefully, and smiled on
them all round in return. His talk flowed on
steadily in its thin stream; he never was at a
loss, but to Major Carter he was specially attentive;
appealing to him, and listening to him
when he had appealed, almost with reverence.
"Stay long at Monaco after I left? We had a
very pleasant time of it. Recollect old Grimani
from Naples, when he tore up my Times? They
said he had lost fifty thousand francs that
night."

And Major Carter, who had not seemed to
recollect him well at first, and whose imaginary
train had long since started, now became as an
old friend of the liveliest memory, and a very
delightful and genial old friend.

Fermor was pleased. "I always knew," he
said sagely, next day, "that Carter was of the
proper set; I can always tell by the ring of the
metal." He was pleased, too, with his new relation.
"Just the sort of man I required," he
said; and presently had drawn him out of the
crowd, now beginning to bet upon the whist
party, and was talking to him gravely.