all who knew him as one of the most fortunate of men. He regarded
himself as being very far from blessed, knowing that there must come a
speedy end to the things which he only half enjoyed, and feeling partly
ashamed of himself in that he had found for himself no better part.

"Jack," said Mrs. Houghton, "I can't blow you up for being late,
because Mr. Houghton has not yet condescended to shew himself. Let me
introduce you to Lady George Germain." Then he smiled in his peculiar
way, and Mary thought his face the most beautiful she had ever seen.
"Lord George Germain,--who allows me to call him my cousin, though he
isn't as near as you are. My sister-in-law, you know." Jack shook hands
with the old lady in his most cordial manner. "I think you have seen
Mr. Mildmay before, and Miss Mildmay." Mary could not but look at the
greeting between the two, and she saw that Miss Mildmay almost turned
up her nose at him. She was quite sure that Mrs. Houghton had been
wrong about the love. There had surely only been a pretence of love.
But Mrs. Houghton had been right, and Mary had not yet learned to read
correctly the signs which men and women hang out.

At last Mr. Houghton came down. "Upon my word," said his wife, "I
wonder you ain't ashamed to shew yourself."

"Who says I'm not ashamed? I'm very much ashamed. But how can I help
it if the trains won't keep their time? We were hunting all day
to-day,--nothing very good, Lord George, but on the trot from eleven to
four. That tires a fellow, you know. And the worst of it is I've got to
do it again on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday."

"Is there a necessity?" asked Lord George.

"When a man begins that kind of thing he must go through with it.
Hunting is like women. It's a jealous sport. Lady George, may I take
you down to dinner? I am so sorry to have kept you waiting."

CHAPTER XIII.

MORE NEWS FROM ITALY.

Mr. Houghton took Lady George down to dinner; but Jack De Baron sat on
his left hand. Next to him was Augusta Mildmay, who had been consigned
to his care. Then came Lord George sitting opposite to his host at a
round table, with Mrs. Houghton at his right hand. Mrs. Mildmay and
Miss Hetta Houghton filled up the vacant places. To all this a great
deal of attention had been given by the hostess. She had not wished to
throw her cousin Jack and Miss Mildmay together. She would probably
have said to a confidential friend that "there had been enough of all
that."