The captain stood up and bowed gravely at the little gentleman’s blankly amazed countenance.

“Ahem,” said he; “dear me, is it possible!” and advanced a step, but the captain remained immovable.  Mr. Marmaduke fumbled for his snuff-box, failed to find it, halted, and began again, for he never was known to lack words for long:  “Captain, as one of the oldest friends of Mr. Lionel Carvel, I claim the right to thank you in his name for your gallant conduct.  I hear that you are soon to see him, and to receive his obligations from him in person.  You will not find him lacking, sir, I’ll warrant.”

Such was Mr. Marmaduke’s feline ingenuity!  I had a retort ready, and I saw that Mrs. Manners, long tried in such occasions, was about to pour oil on the waters.  But it was Dorothy who exclaimed: 

“What captain! are you, too, going to Maryland?”

John Paul reddened.

“Ay, that he is, Dolly,” I cut in hurriedly.  “Did you imagine I would let him escape so easily?  Henceforth as he has said, he is to be an American.”

She flashed at me such a look as might have had a dozen different meanings, and in a trice it was gone again under her dark lashes.

Dinner was got through I know not how.  Mr. Manners led the talk, and spoke more than was needful concerning our approaching voyage.  He was at great pains to recommend the Virginia packet, which had made the fastest passage from the Capes; and she sailed, as was no doubt most convenient, the Saturday following.  I should find her a comfortable vessel, and he would oblige me with a letter to Captain Alsop.  Did Captain Paul know him?  But the captain was describing West Indian life to Mrs. Manners.  Dorothy had little to say; and as for me, I was in no very pleasant humour.

I gave a deaf ear to Mr. Marmaduke’s sallies, to speculate on the nature of the disgrace which Chartersea was said to hold over his head.  And twenty times, as I looked upon Dolly’s beauty, I ground my teeth at the notion of returning home.  I have ever been slow of suspicion, but suddenly it struck me sharply that Mr. Manners’s tactics must have a deeper significance than I had thought.  Why was it that he feared my presence in London?

As we made our way back to the drawing-room, I was hoping for a talk with Dolly (alas!  I should not have many more), when I heard a voice which sounded strangely familiar.

“You know, Comyn,” it was saying, “you know I should be at the Princess’s were I not so completely worn out.  I was up near all of last night with Rosette.”

Mr. Marmaduke, entering before us, cried:—­

“The dear creature!  I trust you have had medical attendance, Mr. Walpole.”

“Egad!” quoth Horry (for it was he), “I sent Favre to Hampstead to fetch Dr. Pratt, where he was attending some mercer’s wife.  It seems that Rosette had got into the street and eaten something horrible out of the kennel.  I discharged the footman, of course.”