ly a loyal one, sir," said Haggerstone, "and, as
one wearing his Majesty's cloth, I beg to take the liberty of reminding
you of it."

"Maybe it isn't; and what then?" said Dalton, over whose good-natured
countenance a passing cloud of displeasure lowered.

"Simply, sir, that it shouldn't be uttered in my presence," said
Haggerstone.

"Phew!" said Dalton, with a long whistle, "is that what you 're at? See,
now" here he turned fully round, so as to face the Colonel "see, now,
I 'm the dullest fellow in the world at what is called 'taking a thing
up;' but make it clear for me let me only see what is pleasing to the
company, and it is n't Peter Dalton will balk your fancy."

"May I venture to remark," said Jekyl, blandly, "that you are both in
error, and however I may (the cold of the season being considered) envy
your warmth, it is after all only so much caloric needlessly expended."

"I was n't choleric at all," broke in Dalton, mistaking the word, and
thus happily, by the hearty laugh his blunder created, bringing the
silly altercation to an end.

"Well," said Haggerstone, "since we are all so perfectly agreed in our
sentiments, we could n't do better than dine together, and have a bumper
to the King's health."

"I always dine at two, or half-past," simpered Jekyl; "besides, I'm on a
regimen, and never drink wine."

"There 's nobody likes a bit of conviviality better than myself,"
said Dal ton; "but I 've a kind of engagement, a promise I made this
morning."

There was an evident confusion in the way these words were uttered,
which did not escape either of the others, who exchanged the most
significant glances as he spoke.

"What have we here?" cried Jekyl, as he sprang to the window and looked
out. "A courier, by all that's muddy! Who could have expected such an
apparition at this time?"

"What can bring people here now?" said Haggerstone, as with his glass
to his eye he surveyed the little well-fed figure, who, in his tawdry
jacket all slashed with gold, and heavy jack-boots, was closely locked
in the embraces of the landlord.

Jekyl at once issued forth to learn the news, and, although not fully
three minutes absent, returned to his companions with a full account of
the expected arrivals.

"It's that rich banker, Sir Stafford Onslow, with his family. They were
on their way to Italy, and made a mess of it somehow in the Black
Forest they got swept away by a torrent, or crushed by an avalanche, or
some