iss it. I
would not have done it if Stanhope had not been such a beast,' said
Herbert.

'I shall not tell them, of course,' said Constance; 'but, if I were you,
I should not be happy till they knew.'

'Oh, that's only girl's way! I can't have the old Stick upset now, for
I'm in horrid want of tin.'

'Oh, Bertie, was it true then?'

'What, you don't mean that they have heard?'

'That you were out at those Colbeam races!'

'To be sure I was, with Stanhope and Hailes and a lot more. We all went
except the little kids and Sisson, who is in regular training for as
great a muff as the governor there. Who told him?'

'Mr. Hailes, who is very much concerned about his grandson.'

'Old sneak; I wonder how he ferreted it out. Is there no end of a jaw
coming, Con?'

'I don't know. Uncle Frank seemed quite knocked down and wretched over
it. He said something about feeling hopeless, and the old blood coming
out to be your ruin.'

'Of course it's the old blood! How did he miss it, and turn into the
intolerable old dry fogey that he is, without a notion of anything fit
for a gentleman?'

'Now, Herbert--'

'Oh yes. You should just hear what the other fellows say about him.
Their mothers and their sisters say there is not so stupid a place in the
county, he hasn't a word to say for himself, and they would just as soon
go to Portland at once as to a party here.'

'Then it is a great shame! I am sure Aunt Mary works hard to make it
pleasant for them!'

'Oh yes, good soul, she does, she can't help it; but when people have
stuck in the mud all their lives, they can't know any better, and it is
abominably hard on a fellow who does, to be under a man who has been an
office cad all his life, and doesn't know what is expected of a
gentleman! Screwing us all up like beggars--'

'Herbert, for shame! for shame! As if he was obliged to do anything at
all for us!'

'Oh, isn't he? A pretty row my mother would kick up about his ears if he
did not, when I must come after him at this place, too!'

'I think you are very ungrateful,' said Constance, with tears, 'when they
are so good to us.'

'Oh, they are as kind as they know how, but they don't know. That's the
thing, or old Frank would be ashamed to give me such a dirty little
allowance. He has only himself to thank if I have to come upon him for
more. Found out about the Blackbird colt, has he? What a bore! And tin
I must have out of him by hook or by crook if