ssing that I felt I
must send Catherine a message."

"And I am to do the job for you? All right: Barkis is willin'." And
then they both laughed at the familiar words, for Colonel Godfrey loved
and studied his Dickens as some men study their classics.

"Tell her to be at the entrance at a quarter to six, and I will be
there. Well, I must be off, Erskine will be waiting for me." And the
Colonel saluted Malcolm and marched off with his head in the air, while
more than one fashionable lounger turned round to look at the fine
soldierly figure.

At this hour the refreshment-rooms at the Army and Navy Stores were
generally crowded, and for two or three minutes Malcolm searched them
vainly, before he discovered Mrs. Godfrey sitting alone at a table at
the other end of the long room.

She gave an exclamation when she saw him. "Life is full of surprises,"
she said with the bright, vivid smile that always welcomed her
favourite--"Alick promised to join me here!" And Malcolm sat down
beside her and gave her the Colonel's message.

Mrs. Godfrey was evidently well used to these messages, for she
received it with becoming resignation.

"I have ten minutes to spare," she observed serenely, "so you had
better order yourself some tea, and we can tell each other our news. By
the bye, how long have you been in town?" And when Malcolm told her
nearly a month, she seemed surprised.

"I made up my mind you were still at Staplegrove," she replied;
"though, now I come to think of it, there has certainly been no mention
of you in Elizabeth's last two letters. By the bye," turning to him
with her customary quickness--but Malcolm was just then studying the
menu--"what do you think of this engagement?"

"I think it is for me to put the question to you," he returned with
admirable sang-froid; but one hand clenched itself so tightly under the
table that the marks of the nails were in the palm.

"Then I may as well be frank and tell you that I would forbid the banns
if I could. Elizabeth ought to have married better--she is far too fine
a creature to throw herself away on David Carlyon."

"He is a very good fellow," observed Malcolm rather feebly; it was hard
lines that he should be expected to discuss this.

"Oh yes, he is a good fellow," a little contemptuously. "I remember I
liked him very well when we were down at the Wood House this spring;
there is nothing to say against the young man, he is as good as gold,
and an excellent clergy