a letter in his
hand.

"This is for you, Colonel," said he; "it was marked 'immediate,' and the
post-mistress despatched it by an express."

The letter was a very brief one; but, in honor to the writer, we shall
give it a chapter to itself.

CHAPTER VII. A GREAT DIPLOMATIST

My dear Harcourt,--I arrived here yesterday, and by good fortune
caught your letter at F. O., where it was awaiting the departure of the
messenger for Germany.

Your account of poor Glencore is most distressing. At the same time, my
knowledge of the man and his temper in a measure prepared me for it.
You say that he wishes to see me, and intends to write. Now, there is a
small business matter between us, which his lawyer seems much disposed
to push on to a difficulty, if not to worse. To prevent this, if
possible,--at all events to see whether a visit from me might not be
serviceable,--I shall cross over to Ireland on Tuesday, and be with you
by Friday, or at latest Saturday. Tell him that I am coming, but only
for a day. My engagements are such that I must be here again early in
the following week. On Thursday I go down to Windsor.

There is wonderfully little stirring here, but I keep that little for
our meeting. You are aware, my dear friend, what a poor, shattered,
broken-down fellow I am; so that I need not ask you to give me a
comfortable quarter for my one night, and some shell-fish, if easily
procurable, for my one dinner.

Yours, ever and faithfully,

H. U.

We have already told our reader that the note was a brief one, and yet
was it not altogether uncharacteristic. Sir Horace Upton--it will spare
us both some repetition if we present him at once--was one of a very
composite order of human architecture; a kind of being, in fact, of
which many would deny the existence, till they met and knew them, so
full of contradictions, real and apparent, was his nature. Chivalrous
in sentiment and cunning in action, noble in aspiration and utterly
sceptical as regards motives, one half of his temperament was the
antidote to the other. Fastidious to a painful extent in matters of
taste, he was simplicity itself in all the requirements of his life;
and with all a courtier's love of great people, not only tolerating,
but actually preferring the society of men beneath him. In person he was
tall, and with that air of distinction in his manner that belongs only
to those who unite natural graces with long habits of high society. His
featur