therefore cannot have the pleasure of sitting next to Lady Holmhurst."

"Oh, that is all right, Miss Smithers," said the captain, with a jolly
laugh. "You are my guest, and I shall take no denial."

"When we find genius for once in our lives, we are not going to lose the
opportunity of sitting at its feet," added Lady Holmhurst, with a little
movement towards her which was neither curtsey nor bow, but rather a
happy combination of both. The compliment was, Augusta felt, sincere,
however much it exaggerated the measure of her poor capacities, and,
putting other things aside, was, coming as it did from one woman to
another, peculiarly graceful and surprising. She blushed and bowed,
scarcely knowing what to say, when suddenly, Mr. Meeson's harsh tones,
pitched just now in a respectful key, broke upon her ear. Mr. Meeson was
addressing no less a person than Lord Holmhurst, G.C.M.G. Lord Holmhurst
was a stout, short, dark little man, with a somewhat pompous manner, and
a kindly face. He was a Colonial Governor of the first water, and was
perfectly aware of the fact.

Now, a Colonial Governor, even though he be a G.C.M.G. when he is at
home, is not a name to conjure with, and does not fill an exclusive place
in the eye of the English world. There are many Colonial Governors in the
present and past tense to be found in the purlieus of South Kensington,
where their presence creates no unusual excitement. But when one of this
honourable corps sets foot upon the vessel destined to bear him to the
shores that he shall rule, all this changes. He puts off the body of the
ordinary betitled individual and puts on the body of the celestial
brotherhood. In short, from being nobody out of the common he becomes,
and very properly so, a great man. Nobody knew this better than Lord
Holmhurst, and to a person fond of observing such things nothing could