een better for us all, as well as more comfortable than loud
witticisms and excited laughter. I looked at the two or three clerical
members of the clan and wondered at them.

When the moment for healths came, the bride called to her brother, the
head of the house, by his pleasing name of Baby, and sent him to fetch
Harold, whom he brought back with him. Dora was sound asleep, they
said, and room was made for Harold in the bridal neighbourhood in time
to hear the baronet, who had married a Horsman of the last generation,
propose the health of the bride with all the conventional phrases, and
of the bridegroom, as a gentleman who, from his first arrival, had made
it his study to maintain the old character of the family, and to
distinguish himself by intelligent care for the welfare of his tenants,
&c., &c.

Hippolyta must have longed to make the speech in return. We could see
her prompting her husband, and, by means of imitations of Lord
Erymanth, he got through pretty well with his gracious acceptance of
all the praises.

Baby Jack proposed the health of the bridesmaids, adding, more
especially, that of the absent one, as a little heroine; and, after the
response, came a ponderous speech by another kinsman, full of
compliments to Harold's courage in a fulsome style that made me flush
with the vexation it must give him, and the annoyance it would be to
reply. I had been watching him. As a pile of lumps of ice fortunately
stood near him, he had, at every interval, been transferring one to his
glass, filling it up with water, guarding it from the circling
decanters, and taking such a draught at every toast that I knew his
mouth was parched, and I dreaded that sheer worry would make him utter
one of his "young barbarian" bluntnesses; but what he did was to stand
up and say simply, "It is very kind of Colonel Horsman to speak in this
way of my share in the great mercy and deliverance we have received
to-day. It is a matter of the greatest thankfulness. Let me in return
thank the friends here assembled for their welcome, and, above all, for
their appreciation of my cousin, whose position now fulfils my great
wish. Three years ago we were friendless strangers. Now he has made
himself one with you, and I thank you heartily for it."

I felt rather than heard Nessy Horsman muttering, "pretty well for the
large young man;" and it seemed to occur to no one that friends,
position, and all had been gained for Eustace by Ha