to discover a way of bringing in the foot also, the young
lady being particularly remarkable for the beauty of that portion of the
frame. In vain her daughter hinted at dancing, an amusement of which she
was passionately fond. The wary mother knew too well the effects of
concentrated force to listen to the suggestion: dancing might do for every
manager, but she prided herself in acting _en masse_, like Napoleon, whose
tactics consisted in overwhelming by uniting his forces on a given point.
After many experiments in her own person she endeavored to improve
Catharine's manner of sitting, and by dint of twisting and turning she
contrived that her pretty foot and ankle should be thrown forward in a way
that the eye dropping from the move, should unavoidably rest on this
beauteous object; giving, as it were, a Scylla and Charybdis to her
daughter's charms.

John Moseley was the first person on whom she undertook to try the effect
of her invention; and after comfortably seating the parties she withdrew
to a little distance to watch the effect.

"Check to your king, Miss Chatterton," cried John, early in the game--and
the young lady thrust out her foot. "Check to _your_ king, Mr. Moseley,"
echoed the damsel, and John's eyes wandered from hand to foot and foot to
hand. "Check king and queen, sir."--"Check-mate."--"Did you speak?" said
John. Looking up he caught the eye of the dowager fixed on him in
triumph--"Oh, ho," said the young man, internally, "Mother Chatterton, are
you playing too?" and, coolly taking up his hat, he walked off, nor could
they ever get him seated at the game again.

"You beat me too easily, Miss Chatterton," he would say when pressed to
play, "before I have time to look up it's check-mate--excuse me."

The dowager next settled down into a more covert attack through Grace; but
here she had two to contend with: her own forces rebelled, and the war had
been protracted to the present hour with varied success, and at least
without any material captures, on one side.

Colonel Egerton entered on the duties of his dangerous undertaking with
the indifference of foolhardiness. The game was played with tolerable
ability by both parties; but no emotions, no absence of mind could be
discovered on the part of the gentleman. Feet and hands were in motion;
still the colonel played as well as usual; he had answers for all Jane's
questions, and smiles for his partner; but no check-mate could she obtain,
until wilfull