?"

"Confound them! who can tell how it happened?" said he., "I 'll not meet
him; I 'll leave the house,--I 'll not face such an indignity."

"But remember, Mark, none of us know your friend, we have not so much as
seen him; and as he was to meet these people, it's all the better they
came as acquaintances."

"That's all very fine," said he, angrily; "you can be beautifully
philosophical about it, all because you have n't to go back to a
mess-table and be badgered by all sorts of allusions and references to
Maitland's capital story."

"Here they are, here they are!" cried Alice; and the next moment she
was warmly embracing those dear friends to whose failings she was nowise
blind, however ardent her late defence of them. Mark, meanwhile, had
advanced towards Maitland, and gave him as cordial a welcome as he could
command. "My sister Mrs. Trafford, Mr. Maitland," said he; and Alice
gave her hand with a graceful cordiality to the new guest.

"I declare, Mark is afraid that I 'll kiss him," cried Beck. "Courage,
_mon ami_, I'll not expose you in public."

"How are you? how are you?" cried the Commodore; "brown, brown, very
brown; Indian sun. Lucky if the mischief is only skin-deep."

"Shake hands, Mark," said Sally, in a deep masculine voice; "don't bear
malice, though I did pitch you out of the boat that day."

Mark was however, happily, too much engaged with his friend to have
heard the speech. He was eagerly listening to Maitland's account of his
first meeting with the Grahams.

"My lucky star was in the ascendant; for there I stood," said Maitland,
"in the great square of Bally--Bally--"

"Ballymena," broke in Beck; "and there's no great square in the place;
but you stood in a very dirty stable-yard, in a much greater passion
than such a fine gentleman should ever give way to."

"Calling, 'A horse! a horse! My kingdom for a horse!'"

"It was 'a chaise and pair' _I_ heard, and you were well laughed at
for your demand. The baker offered you a seat, which you rejected with
dismay; and, to tell the truth, it was half in the hope of witnessing
another outburst of your indignation that I went across and said, 'Would
you accept a place beside me, sir?'"

"And was I not overwhelmed with joy? Was it not in a transport of
gratitude that I embraced your offer?"

"I know you very nearly embraced my maid as you lifted her off the car."

"And, by the way, where is Patience?" asked Mrs. Trafford.

"She's coming on,