Batsby
seems to me to be a very nice young man, and I suppose he has got
money. A man should certainly have got money,--or an occupation."

"He has got both," said Gertrude, which, however, was not true, as
Captain Batsby had left the service.

* * * * * *

"Have you forgotten my cousin so soon?" Gertrude asked one day, as
she was walking with the happy Captain in the park. The Captain, no
doubt, had been saying soft things to her.

"Do you throw that in my teeth as an offence?"

"Inconstancy in men is generally considered as an offence," said
Gertrude. What it might be in women she did not just then declare.

"After all I have heard of your cousin since I have been here, I
should hardly have thought that it would be reckoned so in this
case."

"You have heard nothing against her from me."

"I am told that she has treated your brother very badly."

"Poor Tom!"

"And that she is flirting with a man I particularly dislike."

"I suppose she does make herself rather peculiar with that Colonel
Stubbs."

"And, after all, only think how little I saw of her! She is pretty."

"So some people think. I never saw it myself," said Gertrude. "We
always thought her a mass of affectation. We had to turn her out of
the house once you know. She was living here, and then it was that
her sister had to come in her place. It is not their fault that they
have got nothing;--poor girls! They are mamma's nieces, and so papa
always has one of them." After that forgiveness was accorded to the
Captain on account of his fickle conduct, and Gertrude consented to
accept of his services in the guise of a lover. That this was so Mrs.
Traffick was well aware. Nor was Lady Tringle very much in the dark.
Frank Houston was to be considered as good as gone, and if so it
would be well that her daughter should have another string. She
was tired of the troubles of the girls around her, and thought
that as Captain Batsby was supposed to have an income he would do
as a son-in-law. But she had not hitherto been consulted by the
young people, who felt among themselves that there still might be
a difficulty. The difficulty lay with Sir Thomas. Sir Thomas had
brought Captain Batsby there to Merle Park as Ayala's lover, and as
he had been very little at home was unaware of the changes which
had taken place. And then Gertrude was still supposed to be engaged
to Mr. Houston, although this lover had been so violently r