"If you will be a good little girl, you won't sit here in the sun, but allow me to take you straight home; and go and lie down, and have ice on your head."
"Ice!" she repeated; "you have put it into my head! I'm dying for one, and here comes Tony; I promised I'd let him take me to their tent. I'll be quite all right to-morrow; we were such a frightful squash in our carriage coming down, that I was nearly suffocated with the heat,"—then rising as she spoke, "Here I am, Tony! I'm coming; did I really win five pounds!"—as he handed her a note. "Well, I'll give it to the Dog's Home."
Sir Dudley, who felt himself injured, and deserted, relinquished his pretty companion with what grace he could assume, and swept off his hat in his very best style. As he looked after the couple, he said to himself, "'Dogs' Home!' Much better return it to that bumptious young puppy,—who by all accounts is uncommonly hard up!"
Mayne, man-like, was not nearly so overwhelmed by their recent encounter as Nancy. He was still able to make bets, talk sanely to friends, and to follow the racing, with the keenest interest (although running through his thoughts, and keeping well ahead of the horses, was Mrs. Mayne). His present idea, was to make a move; a quiet cautious move, and try to find out, how the land lay? He had not failed to notice Nancy's numerous admirers; more than once, he had focussed her through his glasses, and though she played the "Ostrich," he was perfectly aware of the identity of the girl, who was sitting on the lawn, with that tame cat, Dudley Villars!—A tame, but not domestic cat! he knew something about him; and what he knew, was not to his advantage. A song-singing, insidious, unscrupulous, rascal,—and no fit companion for any innocent girl.
The sight of Villars, and his proprietary attitude, had awakened Mayne's jealousy, and materialized his intentions; he must see, and that without delay, how he could approach Nancy? Possibly some friendly third person, would assist him? It would be, he was aware,—a most delicate enterprise, yet "nothing venture, nothing have!"
As Mayne and a friend, were leaving the paddock, they almost ran into Teddy Dawson, Mrs. Hicks, and Jessie; he halted at once. This amazing encounter, was as unexpected, as it was providential! Here, as it were spirited from the ends of the earth,—were two of the witnesses to his marriage! and Dawson his best man, would stand by him now, as formerly.
The greetings of the little party were exceedingly cordial. Mrs. Hicks, Jessie and Ted were unaffectedly delighted to see Mayne. Teddy was now presentable, and "more,"—as his fiancée said,—"like a human being!" Mrs. Hicks radiantly happy, and attired in a bright green gown, with a pink silk frill round her neck,—recalled to Mayne, the common parroquet of India!
To secure a word with Teddy, Mayne presented his brother officer to the two ladies, and drawing him aside, said in an undertone:
"Guess who's here?"
"Yes, I know; I've seen her," replied Teddy; "isn't she ripping? Takes the whole cake, eh? Have you met?"