er tastes so
good as the decanter he circulates himself. I was low enough half an hour
ago, and now the mere thought of a couple of fellows to dine with me cheers
me up and warms my heart! I'll give them the green seal, Kitty; and I don't
know there's another house in the county could put a bottle of '46 claret
before them.'

'So you shall, papa. I'll go to the cellar myself and fetch it.'

Kearney hastened to make the moderate toilet he called dressing for dinner,
and was only finished when his old servant informed him that two gentlemen
had arrived and gone up to their rooms.

'I wish it was two dozen had come,' said Kearney, as he descended to the
drawing-room.

'It is Major Lockwood, papa,' cried Kate, entering and drawing him into a
window-recess; 'the Major Lockwood that was here before, has come with Mr.
Walpole. I met him in the hall while I had the basket with the wine in my
hand, and he was so cordial and glad to see me you cannot think.'

'He knew that green wax, Kitty. He tasted that "bin" when he was here
last.'

'Perhaps so; but he certainly seemed overjoyed at something.'

'Let me see,' muttered he, 'wasn't he the big fellow with the long
moustaches?'

'A tall, very good-looking man; dark as a Spaniard, and not unlike one.'

'To be sure, to be sure. I remember him well. He was a capital shot with
the pistol, and he liked his wine. By the way, Nina did not take to him.'

'How do you remember that, papa?' said she archly.

If I don't mistake, she told me so, or she called him a brute, or a savage,
or some one of those things a man is sure to be, when a woman discovers he
will not be her slave.'

Nina entering at the moment cut short all rejoinder, and Kearney came
forward to meet her with his hand out.

'Shake out your lower courses, and let me look at you,' cried he, as he
walked round her admiringly. 'Upon my oath, it's more beautiful than
ever you are! I can guess what a fate is reserved for those dandies from
Dublin.'

'Do you like my dress, sir? Is it becoming?' asked she.

'Becoming it is; but I'm not sure whether I like it.'

'And how is that, sir?'

'I don't see how, with all that floating gauze and swelling lace, a man is
to get an arm round you at all--'

'I cannot perceive the necessity, sir,' and the insolent toss of her head,
more forcibly even than her words, resented such a possibility.

CHAPTER LXX

ATLEE'S RETURN

When Atlee arrived at Bruton Street, the w