Beside her sat a tall, handsome man of about five-and-thirty, or perhaps forty, years of age, with a most soldierly air, who, as I was presented to him, scarcely turned his head, and gave me a half-nod of unequivocal coldness.  As I turned from the lovely girl, who had received me with marked courtesy, to the cold air and repelling hauteur of the dark-browed captain, the blood rushed throbbing to my forehead; and as I walked to my place at the table, I eagerly sought his eye, to return him a look of defiance and disdain, proud and contemptuous as his own.

Captain Hammersly, however, never took further notice of me, and I formed a bitter resolution, which I endeavoured to carry into effect during the next day’s hunt.  Mounted on my best horse, I deliberately led him across the worst and roughest country, river, and hills, and walls, and ditches, till I finished up with a broken head and he with a broken arm, and a horse that had to be slaughtered.

On the fourth day after this adventure I was able to enter the drawing-room again.  Sir George Dashwood made the kindest inquiries about my health.

“They tell me you are to be a lawyer, Mr. O’Malley,” said he; “and, if so, I must advise you to take better care of your headpiece.”

“A lawyer, papa?  Oh, dear me!” said his daughter.  “I should never have thought of his being anything so stupid.”

“Why, silly girl, what would you have a man to be?”

“A dragoon, to be sure, papa,” said the fond girl, as she pressed her arm around him, and looked up in his face with an expression of mingled pride and affection.

That word sealed my destiny.

II.—­I Join the Dragoons

I had been at Mr. Blake’s house five days before I recollected my uncle’s interests; but with one hole in my head and some half-dozen in my heart my memory was none of the best.  But that night at dinner I discovered, to my savage amazement, that Mr. Blake and all the company were there in the interest of the opposition candidate, and that Sir George Dashwood was their candidate.  In my excitement I hurled my wineglass at the head of one of the company who expressed himself in regard to my uncle in a manner insulting to a degree.  In the duel which followed I shot my opponent.

I had sprung into man’s estate.  In three short days I had fallen deeply, desperately, in love, and had wounded, if not killed, an antagonist in a duel.  As I meditated on these things I was aroused by the noise of horses’ feet.  I opened the window, and beheld no less a person than Captain Hammersly.  I begged of him to alight and come in.

“I thank you very much,” he said; “but, in fact, my hours are now numbered here.  I have just received an order to join my regiment.  I could not, however, leave the country without shaking hands with you.  I owe you a lesson in horsemanship, and I’m only sorry that we are not to have another day together.  I’m sorry you are not coming with us.”