“He is fond of making them, though,” said Mrs. Ives, peaking with a benevolent smile, and for the first time in the little conversation.

It was then arranged that the rector should make his official visit, as intended by himself; and on his report, the ladies would act.  After remaining at the rectory an hour, they returned to the hall, attended by Francis.

The next day the doctor drove in, and informed them the Jarvis family were happily settled, and the colonel in no danger, excepting from the fascinations of the two young ladies, who took such palpable care of him that he wanted for nothing, and they might drive over whenever they pleased, without fear of intruding unseasonably.

Mr. Jarvis received his guests with the frankness of good feelings, if not with the polish of high life; while his wife, who seldom thought of the former, would have been mortally offended with the person who could have suggested that she omitted any of the elegancies of the latter.  Her daughters were rather pretty, but wanted, both in appearance and manner, the inexpressible air of haut ton which so eminently distinguished the easy but polished deportment of Colonel Egerton, whom they found reclining on a sofa with his leg on a chair, amply secured in numerous bandages, but unable to rise.  Notwithstanding the awkwardness of his situation, he was by far the least discomposed person of the party, and having pleasantly excused himself, he appeared to think no more of the matter.

The captain, Mrs. Jarvis remarked, had gone out with his dogs to try the grounds around them, “for he seems to live only with his horses and his gun:  young men, my lady, nowadays, appear to forget that there are any things in the world but themselves; now I told Harry that your ladyship and daughters would favor us with a call this morning—­but no:  there he went, as if Mr. Jarvis was unable to buy us a dinner, and we should all starve but for his quails and pheasants.”

“Quails and pheasants,” cried John, in consternation, “does Captain Jarvis shoot quails and pheasants at this time of the year?”

“Mrs. Jarvis, sir,” said Colonel Egerton, with a correcting smile, “understands the allegiance due from us gentlemen to the ladies, better than the rules of sporting; my friend, the captain, has taken his fishing rod, I believe.”

“It is all one, fish or birds,” continued Mrs. Jarvis, “he is Out of the way when he is wanted, and I believe we can buy fish as easily as birds; I wish he would take pattern after yourself, colonel, in these matters.”

Colonel Egerton laughed pleasantly, but he did not blush; and Miss Jarvis observed, with a look, of something like admiration thrown on his reclining figure, “that when Harry had been in the army as long as his friend, he would know the usages of good society, she hoped, as well.”

“Yes,” said her mother, “the army is certainly the place to polish a young man;” and turning to Mrs. Wilson, she abruptly added, “Your husband, I believe, was in the army, ma’am?”