at she was a splendid woman who had her eye
on him. This he had several times hinted at the club: in connexion with
little jocularities, of which old Joe Bagstock, old Joey Bagstock, old
J. Bagstock, old Josh Bagstock, or so forth, was the perpetual theme:
it being, as it were, the Major's stronghold and donjon-keep of light
humour, to be on the most familiar terms with his own name.

'Joey B., Sir,'the Major would say, with a flourish of his
walking-stick, 'is worth a dozen of you. If you had a few more of the
Bagstock breed among you, Sir, you'd be none the worse for it. Old Joe,
Sir, needn't look far for a wile even now, if he was on the look-out;
but he's hard-hearted, Sir, is Joe--he's tough, Sir, tough, and
de-vilish sly!' After such a declaration, wheezing sounds would be
heard; and the Major's blue would deepen into purple, while his eyes
strained and started convulsively.

Notwithstanding his very liberal laudation of himself, however, the
Major was selfish. It may be doubted whether there ever was a more
entirely selfish person at heart; or at stomach is perhaps a better
expression, seeing that he was more decidedly endowed with that latter
organ than with the former. He had no idea of being overlooked or
slighted by anybody; least of all, had he the remotest comprehension of
being overlooked and slighted by Miss Tox.

And yet, Miss Tox, as it appeared, forgot him--gradually forgot him. She
began to forget him soon after her discovery of the Toodle family. She
continued to forget him up to the time of the christening. She went on
forgetting him with compound interest after that. Something or somebody
had superseded him as a source of interest.

'Good morning, Ma'am,' said the Major, meeting Miss Tox in Princess's
Place, some weeks after the changes chronicled in the last chapter.

'Good morning, Sir,' said Miss Tox; very coldly.

'Joe Bagstock, Ma'am,' observed the Major, with his usual gallantry,
'has not had the happiness of bowing to you at your window, for a
considerable period. Joe has been hardly used, Ma'am. His sun has been
behind a cloud.'

Miss Tox inclined her head; but very coldly indeed.

'Joe's luminary has been out of town, Ma'am, perhaps,' inquired the
Major.

'I? out of town? oh no, I have not been out of town,' said Miss Tox.
'I have been much engaged lately. My time is nearly all devoted to some
very intimate friends. I am afraid I have none to spare, even now. Good
morning, Sir!'