Lord Popplecourt went back into town in the Duke’s carriage, but was unable to say a word about politics.  His mind was altogether filled with the wonderful words that had been spoken to him.  Could it be that Lady Mary had fallen violently in love with him?  He would not at once give himself up to the pleasing idea, having so thoroughly grounded himself in the belief that female nets were to be avoided.  But when he got home he did think favourably of it.  The daughter of a Duke,—­and such a Duke!  So lovely a girl, and with such gifts!  And then a fortune which would make a material addition to his own large property!

CHAPTER 36

Tally-ho Lodge

We all know that very clever distich concerning the great fleas and the little fleas which tell us that no animal is too humble to have its parasite.  Even Major Tifto had his inferior friend.  This was a certain Captain Green,—­for the friend also affected military honours.  Tifto, of whose antecedents no one was supposed to know anything.  It was presumed of him that he lived by betting, and it was boasted by those who wished to defend his character that when he lost he paid his money like a gentleman.  Tifto during the last year or two had been anxious to support Captain Green, and had always made use of this argument; ’Where the D——­ he gets his money I don’t know;—­but when he loses it, there it is.’

Major Tifto had a little ‘box’ of his own in the neighbourhood of Egham, at which he had a set of stables a little bigger than his house, and a set of kennels a little bigger than his stables.  It was here he kept his horses and hounds, and himself too when business connected with his sporting life did not take him to town.  It was now the middle of August and he had come to Tally-ho Lodge, there to look after his establishments, to make arrangements for cub-hunting, and to prepare for the autumn racing campaign.  On this occasion Captain Green was enjoying his hospitality and assisting him by sage counsels.  Behind the little box was a little garden,—­a garden that was very little; but, still, thus close to the parlour window, there was room for a small table to be put on the grass-plat, and for a couple of armchairs.  Here the Major and the Captain were seated about eight o’clock one evening, with convivial good things within their reach.  The good things were gin-and-water and pipes.  The two gentlemen had not dressed strictly for dinner.  They had spent a great part of the day handling the hounds and the horses, dressing wounds, curing sores, and ministering to canine ailments, and had been detained over their work too long to think of their toilet.  As it was they had an eye to business.  The stables at one corner and the kennels at the other were close to the little garden, and the doings of a man and a boy who were still at their work could be directed from the armchairs on which the two sportsmen were sitting.