likewise came in to go down
under Sweet Honey's protection, as to call for a reproof from Honora, one
of whose chief labours ever was to destroy the little lady's faith in
beauty, and complacency in her own.

The latter sensation was strong in Honor herself, as she walked into the
room between her beautiful pair, and contrasted Lucilla with her
contemporary, a formed and finished young lady, all plaits, ribbons, and
bracelets--not half so pleasing an object as the little maid in her white
frock, blue sash, and short wavy hair, though maybe there was something
quaint in such simplicity, to eyes trained by fashion instead of by good
taste.

Here was Captain Charteris, just what he had been when he went away. How
different from his stately, dull, wife-ridden elder brother. So brisk,
and blunt, and eager, quite lifting his niece off her feet, and almost
crushing her in his embrace, telling her she was still but a
hop-o'-my-thumb, and shaking hands with his nephew with a look of
scrutiny that brought the blood to the boy's cheek.

His eyes were never off the children while he was listening to Honora,
and she perceived that what she said went for nothing; he would form his
judgment solely by what he observed for himself.

At dinner, he was seated between Miss Charlecote and his niece, and
Honora was pleased with him for his neglect of her and attention to his
smaller neighbour, whose face soon sparkled with merriment, while his
increasing animation proved that the saucy little woman was as usual
enchanting him. Much that was very entertaining was passing about
tiger-hunting, when at dessert, as he stretched out his arm to reach some
water for her, she exclaimed, 'Why, Uncle Kit, you _have_ brought away
the marks! no use to deny it, the tigers did bite you.'

The palm of his hand certainly bore in purple, marks resembling those of
a set of teeth; and he looked meaningly at Honora, as he quietly replied,
'Something rather like a tigress.'

'Then it was a bite, Uncle Kit?'

Yes,' in a put-an-end-to-it tone, which silenced Lucilla, her tact being
much more ready when concerned with the nobler sex.

In the drawing-room, Mrs. Charteris's civilities kept Honora occupied,
while she saw Owen bursting with some request, and when at length he
succeeded in claiming her attention, it was to tell her of his cousin's
offer to take him out shooting, and his elder uncle's proviso that it
must be with her permission. He had gone o