All women liked Boyd; none was insensible to his charm. Handsome, gay, amusing — and tender, alas! — too often — few remained indifferent to this young man, and many there were who found him difficult to forget after he had gone his careless way. But I was damning him most heartily for the prank he played me.

I sat in the parlour talking to Mrs. Lockwood. The babies were long since in bed; the elder children now came to make their reverences to their mother and father, and so very dutifully to every guest. A fat black woman in turban and gold ear-hoops fetched them away; and the house seemed to lose a trifle of its brightness with the children’s going.

Major Lockwood sat writing letters on a card-table, a cluster of tall candles at his elbow; Mr.