are! I was saying to
Mrs. Haughton how much I should like to see you; proposing to her, just
as you came in, that we should go to the play together. Oh, ma'am, you
may trust him to me safely. Young men should see Life!" Here Jasper
tipped Lionel one of those knowing winks with which he was accustomed to
delight and ensnare the young friends of Mr. Poole, and hurried on: "But
in an innocent way, ma'am, such as mothers would approve. We'll fix an
evening for it when I have the honour to call again. Good morning,
Mrs. Haughton. Your hand again, sir (to Lionel). Ah, we shall be great
friends, I guess! You must let me take you out in my cab; teach you to
handle the ribbons, eh? 'Gad, my old friend Charles was a whip. Ha! Ha!
Goodday, good-day!"

Not a muscle had moved in the Colonel's face during Mr. Losely's
jovial monologue. But when Jasper had bowed himself out, Mrs.
Haughton, courtesying, and ringing the bell for the footman to open the
street-door, the man of the world (and, as a man of the world, Colonel
Morley was consummate) again raised those small slow eyes,--this time
towards her face,--and dropped the words,

"My old friend's particular friend is--not bad looking, Mrs. Haughton!"

"And so lively and pleasant," returned Mrs. Haughton, with a slight
rise of colour, but no other sign of embarrassment. "It may be a nice
acquaintance for Lionel."

"Mother!" cried that ungrateful boy, "you are not speaking seriously? I
think the man is odious. If he were not my father's friend, I should say
he was--"

"What, Lionel?" asked the Colonel, blandly, "was what?"

"Snobbish, sir."

"Lionel, how dare you?" exclaimed Mrs. Haughton. "What vulgar words boys
do pick up at school, Colonel Morley."

"We must be careful that they do not pick up worse than words when they
leave school, my dear madam. You will forgive me, but Mr. Darrell has
so expressly--of course, with your permission--commended this young
gentleman to my responsible care and guidance; so openly confided to me
his views and intentions,--that perhaps you would do me the very great
favour not to force upon him, against his own wishes, the acquaintance
of--that very good-looking person."

Mrs. Haughton pouted, and kept down her rising temper. The Colonel began
to awe her.

"By the by," continued the man of the world, "may I inquire the name of
my old friend's particular friend?"

"His name? upon my word I really don't know it. Perhaps he left his
card; ri