riend Faddle's card.

MR. SAMUEL FADDLE,
1, Badminton Gardens.

"Yes, Sir;" said the servant. "He says he has a letter which he must
put into your own particular hands."

"That looks like a bailiff," said Lady Albury, laughing. Colonel
Stubbs, declaring that he had no special reason to be afraid of any
bailiff, left the room and went down into the hall.

At Stalham the real hall of the house was used as a billiard-room,
and here, leaning against the billiard table, the Colonel found
poor Faddle. When a man is compelled by some chance circumstance to
address another man whom he does not know, and whom by inspection he
feels he shall never wish to know, he always hardens his face, and
sometimes also his voice. So it was with the Colonel when he looked
at Faddle. A word he did say, not in words absolutely uncivil, as to
the nature of the business in hand. Then Faddle, showing his emotion
by a quaver in his voice, suggested that as the matter was one of
extreme delicacy some more private apartment might be provided. Upon
this Stubbs led the way into a little room which was for the most
part filled with hunting-gear, and offered the stranger one of the
three chairs which it contained. Faddle sat down, finding himself
so compelled, though the Colonel still remained standing, and then
extracted the fatal epistle from his pocket. "Colonel Stubbs," said
he, handing up the missive, "I am directed by my friend, Mr. Thomas
Tringle, junior, to put this letter into your own hand. When you have
read it I shall be ready to consult with you as to its contents."
These few words he had learnt by heart on his journey down, having
practised them continually.

The Colonel took the letter, and turning to the window read it with
his back to the visitor. He read it twice from beginning to end in
order that he might have time to resolve whether he would laugh aloud
at both Faddle and Tringle, or whether it might not be better to
endeavour to soften the anger of poor Tom by a message which should
be at any rate kindly worded. "This is from my friend, Tom Tringle,"
he said.

"From Mr. Thomas Tringle, junior," said Faddle, proudly.

"So I perceive. I am sorry to think that he should be in so much
trouble. He is one of the best fellows I know, and I am really
grieved that he should be unhappy. This, you know, is all nonsense."

"It is not nonsense at all, Colonel Stubbs."

"You must allow me to be the judge of that, Mr. Faddle.