Why not, indeed, with such birthrights and such prospects? When he had entered society, he had met with even more amiable treatment from affectionate mothers, from innocent daughters, from cordial paternal parents, who voted him an exceedingly fine fellow. Why should he bore himself by taking the trouble to seem pleased by a stupid evening with an old grenadier in petticoats and a badly dressed country girl?     

       Lucia was very glad when, in answer to a timidly appealing glance, Lady Theobald said,—     

       "It is half-past ten. You may wish us good-night, Lucia."     

       Lucia obeyed, as if she had been half-past ten herself, instead of nearly twenty; and Barold was not long in following her example.     

       Dobson led him to a stately chamber at the top of the staircase, and left him there. The captain chose the largest and most luxurious chair, sat down in it, and lighted a cigar at his leisure.     

       "Confoundedly stupid hole!" he said with a refined vigor one would scarcely have expected from an individual of his birth and breeding. "I shall leave to-morrow, of course. What was my mother thinking of? Stupid business from first to last."     

  

  

  

       CHAPTER VII. — "I SHOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF SLOWBRIDGE."     

       When he announced at breakfast his intention of taking his departure on the midday train, Lucia wondered again what would happen; and again, to her relief, Lady Theobald was astonishingly lenient.     

       "As your friends expect you, of course we cannot overrule them," she said.       "We will, however, hope to see something of you during your stay at Broadoaks. It will be very easy for you to run down and give us a few hours now and then."     

       "Tha-anks," said Capt. Barold.     

       He was decently 

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