Ravenshoe. By Henry Kingsley.

200 RAVENSHOE.
He went into the house where Charles's master, Hornby, was;
and Charles sat and wondered.
Presently there came out, on to the balcony above, six or
seven -well-dressed young men, who lounged with their elbows on
the red cushions which were fixed to the railing, and talked, looking at the people in the street.
Lord Welter and Lieutenant Hornby were together at the end.
There was no scowl on Welter's face now; he was making himself agreeable. Charles watched him and Hornby; the conversation between them got eager, and they seemed to make an
appointment. After that they parted, and Hornby came downstairs and got on his horse.
They rode very slowly home. Hornby bowed right and left to
the people he knew, but seemed absent. When Charles took his
horse at the door, he said suddenly to Charles,
" I have been talking to a man who knows something of you,
I believe, - Lord Welter."
" Did you mention me to him, sir?" said Charles.
"No; I did n't think of it."
" You would do me a great kindness if you would not do so,
sir."
"Why?" said Hornby, looking suddenly up.
"I am sorry I cannot enter into particulars, sir; but, if I
thought he would know where I was, I should at once quit your
service and try to lose myself once more."
" Lose yourself?"
"Yes, sir."
"H'm!" said Hornby, thoughtfully. "Well I know there is
something about you which I don't understand. I ain't sure it is
any business of mine, though. I will say noihing. You are not a
man to chatter about anything you see. Mind you don't. You
see how I trust you." And so he went in, and Charles went
round to the stable.
" Is the brougham going out to-night? " he asked of his fellowservant.
"Ordered at ten," said the man. "Night-work again, I expect.
I wanted to get out too. Consume the darned card-playing. Was
you going anywhere to-night?"' Nowhere," said Charles.
"It's a beautiful evening," said the man. "If you should by
chance saunter up towards Grosvenor Square, and could leave a
note for me, I should thank you very much; upon my soul, I
should."
I don't think Charles ever hesitated at doing a good-natured
action in his life. A request to him was like a command. It
came as natural to him now to take a dirty, scrawled love-letter