But before the day was through he had begun to have his doubts. Would it not be dishonourable? He would turn Mark and Hester away from him in the very process. His heart continued to go against his plans, and by the time he dressed for dinner he had resolved to leave the fancy alone and behave like a gentleman. But now as they sat at the table, with every sip of wine the temptation came stronger and stronger. The spirit of fun kept stirring in him. Not merely for the sake of Hester, but for the joke of the thing, he was tempted, and had to keep fighting the impulse all evening. And thus came the subdued character of his demeanour. What threatened to destroy his manners for the evening turned out to correct his usual behaviour. Miss Vavasor, being good-natured, was soon interested and by and by pleased with him. This reacted upon him and he began to feel pleased with her and more at his ease. And with his ease came the danger some at the table had foreseen—he began to tell one of his stories. But he saw Hester look anxious and that was enough to put him back on his careful honour. Before dinner was over he said to himself that if only the nephew were half as good as the aunt, he would be happy to give the young people his blessing.

“By Jove!” thought Gartley, “the scoundrel is not such a low fellow after all.”

Now and then he would listen across the table to their talk, and everything the major said that pleased his aunt pleased him as well. At one little witticism of hers in answer to one of the major’s, he burst into such a hearty laugh that his aunt looked up.

“You are amused, Gartley,” she said.

“You are so clever, Aunt,” he returned.

“Major Marvel has all the merit of my wit,” she answered.

After dinner they sat down to whist and cribbage and within another hour the fear of Lord Gartley as to the malign influence of the major vanished entirely.