'tis so pleasant to think that his old friends come round us now. This gentleman, also, was a particular friend of dear Charles's."
The Colonel had somewhat small eyes, which moved with habitual slowness. He lifted those eyes, let them drop upon Jasper (who still stood in the middle of the room, with one hand still half-extended toward Lionel,) and letting the eyes rest there while he spoke, repeated,
"Particular friend of Charles Haughton's—the only one of his particular friends whom I never had the honor to see before."
Jasper who, whatever his deficiency in other virtues, certainly did not lack courage, made a strong effort at self-possession, and without replying to the Colonel, whose remark had not been directly addressed to himself, said, in his most rollicking tone—"Yes, Mrs. Haughton, Charles was my particular friend, but"—lifting his eyeglass—"but this gentleman was," dropping the eyeglass negligently, "not in our set, I suppose." Then advancing to Lionel, and seizing his hand, "I must introduce myself—the image of your father, I declare! I was saying to Mrs. Haughton how much I should like to see you—proposing to her, just as you came in, that we should go to the play together. Oh, ma'am, you may trust him to me safely. Young men should see life." Here Jasper tipped Lionel one of those knowing winks with which he was accustomed to delight and insnare the young friends of Mr, Poole, and hurried on: "But in an innocent way, ma'am, such as mothers would approve. We'll fix an evening for it, when I have the honor to call again. Good-morning, Mrs. Haughton. Your hand again, Sir (to Lionel).—Ah, we shall be great friends, I guess! You must let me take you out in my cab—teach you to handle the ribbons, eh? 'Gad, my old friend Charles was a whip. Ha! ha! Good-day, good-day!"
Not a muscle had moved in the Colonel's face during Mr. Losely's jovial monologue. But when Jasper had bowed himself out, Mrs. Haughton courtesying and ringing the bell for the footman to open the street-door, the man of the world (and, as man of the world, Colonel Morley was consummate) again raised those small, slow eyes—this time toward her face—and dropped the words—
"My old friend's particular friend is—not bad-looking, Mrs. Haughton!"
"And so lively and pleasant," returned Mrs. Haughton, with a slight rise of color, but no other sign of embarrassment. "It may be a nice acquaintance for Lionel."
"Mother!" cried that ungrateful boy, "you are not speaking
