rom the moment in which, as the reader may remember, he
had accosted her at the ball, and desired her to dance with him in
obedience to his aunt's behests, it had been understood by everyone
around him that Ayala had liked him. They had become fast friends.
Ayala allowed him to do many little things which, by some feminine
instinct of her own, would have been put altogether beyond the reach
of Captain Batsby. The Colonel knew all this, and knew at the same
time that he should not trust to it only. But still he could not but
trust to it in some degree. Lady Albury had told him that Ayala would
be a happy girl if he were in earnest, and he himself was well aware
of Ayala's dependent position, and of the discomforts of Kingsbury
Crescent. Ayala had spoken quite openly to him of Kingsbury Crescent
as to a confidential friend. But on all that he did not lean much
as being in his favour. He could understand that such a girl as
Ayala would not accept a husband merely with the object of avoiding
domestic poverty. Little qualms of doubt came upon him as he
remembered the nature of the girl, so that he confessed to himself
that Lady Albury knew nothing about it. But, nevertheless, he hoped.
His red hair and his ugly face had never yet stood against him among
the women with whom he had lived. He had been taught by popularity to
think himself a popular man;--and then Ayala had shown so many signs
of her friendship!

There was shooting on Saturday, and he went out with the shooters,
saying nothing to any one of an intended early return; but at three
o'clock he was back at the house. Then he found that Ayala was out
in the carriage, and he waited. He sat in the library pretending to
read, till he heard the sounds of the carriage-wheels, and then he
met the ladies in the hall. "Are they all home from shooting?" asked
Lady Albury. The Colonel explained that no one was home but himself.
He had missed three cock-pheasants running, and had then come away in
disgust. "I am the most ignominious creature in existence," he said,
laughing; "one day I tumble into a ditch three feet wide--"

"It was ten yards at least," said Nina, jealous as to the glory of
her jump.

"And to-day I cannot hit a bird. I shall take to writing a book and
leave the severer pursuit of sport to more enterprising persons."
Then suddenly turning round he said to Ayala, "Are you good-natured
enough to come and take a walk with me in the shrubbery?"

Ayala, taken som