there is one thing more than another which
shows a total indifference to appearance, a
culpable negligence of duty on the part of the
mistress of a house, it is a crooked table-cover."

"You had better put it straight, love," said
the wife, quietly.

"What do you mean?" cried the exasperated
colonel.

Mrs. Chutney laid down her work and half
rose. Mary threw herself on her knees and
held her down by her dress. Making an
imaginary search on the floor, she exclaimed, " You
have dropped your thimble." Here the page
entered with the desired soda-water.

"Please, 'm, cook says the fishmonger has not
sent the ice."

"I knew it. I expected it!" ejaculated the
colonel, walking up and down the room; " when
was ice producible in this house in proper time
—- or anything else fit for a gentleman?"

"If I had known," began Mrs. Chutney,
apologetically——-

"No explanations," whispered Mary; "charge
home."

"Go for some ice instantly," continued Mrs.
Chutney to the page. " Do not excite yourself,
my dear, it will be here directly."

"Why do you not have an ice-house in the
garden, colonel?" said Mary, " and then you
could cool yourself there sometimes."

The colonel stopped short in the act of wiping
his brow, and stood transfixed. Miss Holden
laughed, and adroitly changed the subject. "Do
you know, colonel, I like your new morning suit
immensely. Turn round. Why, "Louisa, how
could you say it was unbecoming?"

"Did she say so?" asked the colonel anxiously.
"You ought to have told me, Loo. What is your
objection?"

The colonel surveyed himself in the glass,
feeling an uncomfortable sort of uncertainty
some mischief was brewing. What if his much-
enduring Louisa was going to be rebellious, to
object to systematic annihilation, and develop
ideas, wants, and wishes of her own! He must
seem amiable, to avert such a calamity.

"I have been detained rather longer than
I expected, Mary," he began, blandly, " by an
interesting visit. You were the topic of a very
flattering conversation."

"Dear me," said Miss Holden, " an
ambassador to ask the honour of an alliance!"

"Better still, the contracting party himself,
I suspect,"

"You are not in earnest!" exclaimed Mrs.
Chutney.

"It's a fact, though," said the colonel. " I
was leaving the club, when Captain Peake came
up to me; and, after a little talk about the
East, and our mutual acquaintances there, he,
in a very manly and straightforward way, stated
that he had met you at Mrs. Monitor's: that
the esteem in which you were held, the regard
shown for you on all sides, had made an impression
on him, which——- By-the-by, ' what's for
luncheon? for Peake said he would be here at
one thirty, and," looking at his watch, " he is
due now."

Mary, who had listened in silent astonishment,
now broke in: "But, Colonel Chutney, the
man must be mad! I never saw him but three
times, when he had tea. with-Mrs. Monitor, and
then he stared so, and seemed so nervous, that
he made me nervous too. How could you let
him come here?"

"You nervous! that's a good joke!" repeated
Colonel Chutney; " and as for Peake, he was one
of the most courageous fellows in the Indian
Navy. I spoke to one or two men in the club
about him after he left me, and heard the highest
character of him. Why, he was noticed in
despatches for a daring rescue of a merchant
craft from some piratical Chinese junks in 'fifty-
three."

"Pooh!" returned Mary. " There is no
great heroism in facing a legion of Chinese. I
fancy I could put an army of them to flight
myself."

"Oh, Mary!" interrupted Mrs. Chutney in
a tone of remonstrance, when the door was
thrown open, and the page announced " Captain
Peake;" whereupon entered a broad-shouldered,
good-looking man, probably forty years of age,
with small whiskers and thick drooping black
moustache. His complexion and clothes were
deep brown, as if sunburnt generally all over;
his hands (he wore no gloves, though a brilliant
diamond ring sparkled on his little finger)
partook of the general tint; he had a broad
honest face, with grave dark eyes, a quantity
of dark hair, and a sailor-like look.

During luncheon the captain's performances
were precisely those of a man painfully in love.
He did not say much, and seemed afraid to
look up when he did speak. Chutney rallied
him so boisterously, that even Mary Holden
blushed, and Mrs. Chutney broke in with timid
remonstrances. After luncheon the two gentlemen
retired to the bow-window, and, entangling
themselves in the gorgeous window-curtains,
held a whispered conversation. Nothing was
overheard but an anxious question from Peake,
which seemed to ask " if there was any other
fellow in the way?" What this meant could
not be guessed; for at this moment the door
was opened violently, to admit Miss Barbara
Bousfield. " Steady! Mind what you are
about," she exclaimed. " Don't scratch the
walls or break the banisters;" and she slowly
backed into the room, followed by a cab-driver
and the page carrying a davenport. They set it
down, and a short, sharp, and decisive conflict
insued, ending in the discomfiture of " cabby,"
and his grumbling departure. Then, and not
till then, did Miss Barbara lower her umbrella
from its threatening position, and standing at
ease, addressed Mrs. Chutney. " There, Louisa,
have brought you a present; so don't say
you got nothing from me towards your furnishing.
It's a useful concern, not the sort of
frippery that is generally made up for women.
There—- there's a desk to write at; here are
drawers to keep your account-books and papers
in; here are accounts paid; here unpaid—- hope
you'll have very few there. I believe there are
some secret drawers, too, but you'll not care