all this two brass bands which play two different tunes at the same
time. If a deaf man suddenly recovered his hearing at a cattle show, I
am sure he would wish himself deaf again. However, some people enjoy
cattle shows, I do not, but that is neither here nor there.

Lord Dadford, J.P. for the county and owner of some fine short horns, is
surrounded by gaitered and pot-hatted men, who all appear to be talking
at once. Helmdon conducting Philippa and his sister with the ever
constant Jimmy, carefully fights shy of his father.

'What luck to have met you,' he exclaims as they run up against a pretty
woman, Mrs Lippingcott of course, and forthwith they launch into an
eager conversation with humble apologies from him and earnest
entreaties that she will grace the ball with her appearance, and with
any one who may be staying with her.

'Oh, how do you do, Miss Seaton?' makes Lippa turn, who is in earnest
conversation with Dalrymple, and see Harkness standing before her. She
would have liked to give vent to a naughty little expression, but she
merely bows saying--

'I had no idea of meeting you here, isn't it a lovely day?'

'Beautiful,' he replies, 'I am stopping with the Lippingcotts for a few
days; really the country is quite delightful after London.'

'Delicious,' replies Lippa, moving on leaving Harkness gazing at her
and Dalrymple; is that young beggar going to cut him out, it looks
uncommonly like it. Lucky fellow he is, thinks the Captain, winning over
that race last month when the odds were dead against him, and now--