did you?" said Grog, with a jocose leer.

"Well, the information wasn't thrown away, for you laid heavily against
him."

"Most agreeable man, your father-in-law, my Lord," said Twining,
slapping his legs and laughing away in high good humor; then, turning
again to Davis, he engaged him in conversation.

Meanwhile Beecher had drawn Lizzy into a recess of the window, and was
whispering anxiously to her.

"Did this piece of news take you by surprise?" asked he, scanning her
closely as he spoke.

"Yes," said she, calmly.

"It was quite unexpected," said he, half in question,--"at least by me,"
added he, after a pause.

She saw that some suspicion--she knew not of what, and as possibly cared
as little--agitated him, and she turned away to the breakfast-table
without speaking. Beecher, however, led her back again to the window. "I
'd like much to ask you a question," said he, half timidly; "that is, if
I did not fear you might take it ill."

"And there is such a risk, is there?" asked she.

"Well, it is just possible," faltered he.

"In that case, take my advice, and do not hazard it." There was a calm
resolution in her tone that carried more weight with it than anything
like passion, and Beecher felt in his heart that he dared not reject her
counsel.

Lizzy had now taken her place at the breakfast-table, her air, look, and
manner being all that could denote a mind perfectly easy and
contented. So consummate, too, was her tact, that she gradually led the
conversation into that tone of pleasant familiarity when frank opinions
are expressed and people talk without restraint; and thus, without the
semblance of an effort, she succeeded, while developing any agreeability
Beecher possessed, in silencing her father, whose judgments of men
and events were not always the safest. As for Twining, she perfectly
fascinated him. He was no mean critic in all that regards dress and
manners; few men could more unerringly detect a flaw in breeding or a
solecism in address. Mere acting, however good, would never have imposed
upon him, and all the polish of manner and the charm of a finished
courtesy would have failed with him if unaccompanied by that "sentiment"
of good breeding which is its last and highest captivation. How subdued
was all the flippant mockery of his manner! how respectful the tone
in which he accosted her! It was the Viscountess, and not Grog Davis's
daughter, he saw before him. Now Beecher saw all this, and a s