“I see you intend going, ma belle,” said Lord Strathern; “so I may as well give my consent with a good grace.  But is the commissary able and willing to take charge of more than one lady, Mrs. Shortridge, who has a will of her own?  I trust, too, L’Isle, that after giving these ladies a taste for rambling, you do not mean to desert them now.  They may need your escort.  Small parties are never safe traveling about this country.  Our friends just hereabouts, especially, (I am sorry to say it of them), are apt to fall in love with other men’s goods, and have a strong throat-cutting propensity.”

“Oh, there is nothing to fear, papa,” said Lady Mabel.  “Our troops occupy the country, and, if necessary, we will take Colonel L’Isle with us for further protection.  Pray, Colonel L’Isle, how many robbers could you defend us from?”

“I would try to defend you against a hundred.”

“But pray,” said Mrs. Shortridge, “carry at least two servants, well armed.”

“Certainly,” said Lady Mabel; “we will do the thing effectually.  They shall carry no baggage, but stuff their valises full of loaded pistols, as antidotes to Mrs. Shortridge’s fears.”

“I will join the party with pleasure, my lord.  I suppose I can be spared from this post for a few days?” said L’Isle, well pleased to be urged to join in an excursion, secretly and ingeniously contrived by himself.

The ladies, delighted at the prospect of a pleasant journey and new scenes, were at once full of plans and preparations for their outfit on the road.  Nor did they reckon without their host; for the commissary assented to their joining him the moment it was proposed.  Colonel Bradshawe might amuse himself and his cronies by expressing astonishment at his blindness or complaisance, but Shortridge had good reasons for what he did.  Since he had made money, both his wife and himself felt a strong craving for social promotion; and Colonel L’Isle and Lady Mabel were just the persons to lend them a helping hand in their efforts to ascend the social ladder.  But with Shortridge this was just now but a secondary matter.  The commander-in-chief had been lately giving a rough overhauling to the officials of the commissariat.  Their numberless peculations, and short-comings at critical moments, had exasperated him into a conviction that they were necessary evils, and rascals to a man by right of office, and only to be dealt with as such.  And Sir Rowland Hill, to whose division the brigade belonged, had learned this, among other lessons, from his great commander.  Now L’Isle was known to have the ear of Sir Rowland, and the commissary was of opinion that, while Lord Strathern commanded the brigade, Lady Mabel commanded him, so that the good opinion and good word of those parties might avail him much on certain emergencies.  If a friend at court be a good thing, two are still better; so he was all compliance, and let the ladies fix the next day but one for the journey.