hands
respectable and contented, and were highly pleased with all, most
especially with Mr. Dutton, who, though his name did not come
prominently forward, had been the prime mover and contriver of all
these things, and might have been a wealthier man if he had not
undertaken expenses which he could not charge upon the company.

Gerard Godfrey came in to Mrs. Nugent's that evening in the lowest
spirits. He had a sister married to a curate in the same county with
Bridgefield, and she had sent him a local paper which 'understood that
a marriage was arranged between Mark de Lyonnais Egremont, Esquire, and
Ursula, daughter of Alwyn Piercefield Egremont, Esquire, of Bridgefield
Egremont,' and he could not help coming to display it to Miss Headworth
in all its impertinence and prematurity.

'Indeed he said nothing to me about it,' said Miss Headworth, 'and I
think he would if it had been true.'

'No doubt he intends it, and is trying to recommend himself through
you,' said Gerard.

'I should not think he needed that,' returned Aunt Ursel, 'though I
should be very glad, I am sure. He is an excellent young man, and it
is quite the obvious thing.'

'People don't always do the obvious thing,' put in Mary Nugent.

'Certainly it didn't look like it,' said Miss Headworth,' when he told
us about the great annual Hunt Ball at Redcastle that Nuttie and his
sister Blanche are to come out at; he said he did not intend to go home
for it if he could help it.'

'Struggling against fate,' said Miss Nugent.

'The puppy!' burst out Gerard.

Having ascertained the particulars of this same Hunt Ball, Gerard
became possessed with a vehement desire to visit his sister, and so
earnestly solicited a few days' leave of absence that it was granted to
him. 'Poor boy, he may settle down when he has ascertained what an ass
he is,' said Mr. Dutton.

'Ah!' said Mary. 'I thought he was very bad when I saw he had not
changed the green markers for St. Luke's Day.'

CHAPTER XIII.

DETRIMENTALS.

'That tongue of yours at times wags more than charity allows;
And if you're strong, be merciful, great woman of three cows.'
--J. O. MANGAN.

Nine miles was a severe distance through country lanes in November to
go to a ball; but the Redcastle Hunt Ball was the ball of the year,
uniting all the county magnates; and young ladies were hardly reckoned
as 'come out' till they had appear