declared twice two to be four), his delight knew no
bounds, and the way in which he shook my hands, and slapped me on the
back, and told me, with many grunts, that I should "marry the girl,"
even if he had to thrash old Vernor with his own hand in order to obtain
possession of her for me, was enough to do any one's heart good to
witness. I had no lack of talking to get through myself either;
first Harry Oaklands had to be told the successful issue of the day's
adventure, then Fanny was to be taken into our confidence; and next, the
greatest caution was to be observed, and many deep and politic schemes
concocted, in order to bring my mother to a proper comprehension of
the whole matter without completely overwhelming her--all which cunning
devices were frustrated by Mr. Frampton, who got at her surreptitiously,
and told her the entire affair in a short, sharp and decisive harangue,
which completely upset her for the rest of the evening, and left a
permanent impression on her mind, that somehow or other I had behaved
very ill. Early on the following morning Mr. Frampton went off to
town to consult his lawyer, promising to return in time for dinner, if
possible, but at all events so as to be ready to start on our Barstone
campaign the first thing the next day, that no time might be lost in
freeing Clara from the disagreeables, if not positive dangers, which
surrounded her. As I was crossing the hall after seeing Mr. Frampton
off, Lawless seized me by the arm, and drawing me on one side, began:
"I say, Frank, I want a word with you; there's something gone wrong with
Freddy Coleman. I never saw him so down in the mouth before; there's a
screw loose somewhere, depend upon it."

"Something wrong with Freddy," repeated I, "impossible! why I was
laughing with him a quarter of an hour ago; he was making all sorts of
quaint remarks on the chaise that came for Mr. Frampton, and poking fun
at the post-boy. Where is he?"

"Eh? wait a bit, I'll tell you directly; he had a letter brought him
just as Governor Frampton started, and as he cast his eye over it, he
first got as red as a carrot, then he turned as pale as a turnip, and
bolted off into the library like a lamplighter, where he sits looking as
if he had been to the wash, and come back again only half-starched."

"That's better than if he were 'terribly mangled,' to carry on your
simile," returned I; "but didn't you ask him what was the matter?"

~423~~ "Eh? no, I've made suc