Ravenshoe. By Henry Kingsley.

50 RAVENSHOE.
He found his scout and his servant William trying to get the
room into some order, but it was hopeless. William looked up
with a blank face as he came in, and said," We can't do no good, sir; I'd better go for Herbert's man, I
suppose? "
" You may go, William," said Charles, "to the stables, and prepare my horses for a journey. Ward, you may pack up my
things, as I go down to-morrow. I am rusticated."
They both looked very blank, especially William, who, after a
long pause, said,- -
"I was afraid of something happening yesterday after Hall,
when I. see my lord -" here William paused abruptly, and, looking up, touched his head to some one who stood in the doorway.
It was a well-dressed, well-looking young man of about
Charles's age, with a handsome, hairless, florid face and'short, light
hair. Handsome though his face was, it was hardly pleasing
in consequence of a certain lowering of the eyebrows which
he indulged in every moment,- as often, indeed, as he looked
at any one, - and also of a slight cynical curl at the corners of
the mouth. There was nothing else noticeable about Lord
Welter except his appearance of great personal strength, for
which he was somewhat famous.
"Hallo, Welter! " shouted Charles, " yesterday was an era in
the annals of intoxication. Nobody ever was so drunk as you.
I did all I could for you, more fool I, for things could n't beworse than they are, and might be better. If I had gone to bed
instead of looking after you I should n't have been rusticated."
" I'm deuced sorry, Charley, I am,'pon my soul. It is all my
confounded folly, and I shall write to your father and say so.
You are coming home with me, of course?"
"By Jove! I never thought of it. That wouldn't be a bad
plan, eh? I might write from Ranford, you know. Yes, I think
I'l11 say yes. William, you can take the horses over to-morrow.
That is. a splendid idea of yours. I was thinking of going to
London."
"Hang London in the hunting season," said Lord Welter.
"By George, how the governor will blow up! I wonder what
my grandmother will say. Somebody has told her the world
is coming to an end next year. I hope there'll be another
Derby. She has cut homeopathy and taken to vegetable practice. She has deuced near slaughtered her maid with an overdose of Linum Catharticum, as she calls it. She goes digging
about in waste places like a witch, with a big footman to carry the
spade. She is a good old body though, hanged if she ain't."
"What does Adelaide think of the change in Lady Ascot's
opinions, medical and religious?"