s
nephew, who saluted the company courteously, but, as Lovel thought,
seemed to view his own presence with a haughty and disapproving eye.
Captain MacIntyre attached himself immediately to Miss Wardour, and even
appeared to Lovel to take up a privileged position with regard to her.
But Miss Wardour, after submitting to this close attendance for some
time, presently turned sharply round, and asked a question of the
Antiquary as to the date at which the Priory of St. Ruth was built. Of
course Mr. Oldbuck started off like a warhorse at the sound of the
trumpet, and, in the long harangue which ensued, mixed as it was with
additions and contradictions from Sir Arthur and the minister, Captain
MacIntyre found no further chance of appropriating Miss Wardour. He left
her, accordingly, and walked sulkily by his sister's side.

From her he demanded to know who this Mr. Lovel might be, whom he found
so very much at home in a circle in which he had looked forward to
shining alone.

Mary MacIntyre answered sensibly that, as to who he was, her brother had
better ask his uncle, who was in the habit of inviting to his house such
company as pleased him; adding that, so far as she knew, Mr. Lovel was a
very quiet and gentlemanly young man.

Far from being satisfied, however, from that moment Captain MacIntyre,
with the instinct of a dog that returns home to find a stranger making
free with his bone and kennel, set himself almost openly to provoke
Lovel. When by chance the latter was called on by the Antiquary to state
whether or not he had been present at a certain battle abroad,
MacIntyre, with an accent of irony, asked the number of his regiment.
And when that had been told him, he replied that he knew the regiment
very well, but that he could not remember Mr. Lovel as an officer in it.

Whereupon, blushing quickly, Mr. Lovel informed Captain MacIntyre that
he had served the last campaign on the staff of General Sir Blank Blank.

"Indeed," said MacIntyre, yet more insolently, "that is still more
remarkable. I have had an opportunity of knowing the names of all the
officers who have held such a situation, and I cannot recollect that of
Lovel among them."

Lovel took out of his pocket-book a letter, from which he removed the
envelope before handing it to his adversary.

"In all probability you know the General's hand," he said, "though I own
I ought not to show such exaggerated expressions of thanks for my very
slight services."