Page:Lady Barbarity; a romance (IA ladybarbarityrom00snai).pdf/216

 *pitious third. Corporal Flickers was in an ostentatious occupation of my seat against the fire-place.

"When you are alone, sir, I shall be glad to speak with you," I said, this being a hint for the dismissal of the Corporal.

"Important business occupies me most unfortunately just now," the Captain said; and I retired to await his disengagement.

I conceived this to be perhaps the matter of an hour, but never was more faulty in my reckoning. At three o'clock I sent to inquire of his convenience. 'Twas not yet, however, as the Corporal was with him still; moreover, said the Captain, in reply, he was like to be so until far into the evening. At supper-time they were together also. On Emblem looking farther in the matter, she learned that at the request of the Captain the Corporal had been served with food there.

We were discussing this strange affair in the privacy of my boudoir, when Mr. Anthony, whose fund of shrewdness served him in a thousand ways, advanced a theory meriting much consideration.

"Flickers is his bodyguard," says he. "Grantley knows it's in your mind to captivate him, and fears you'll do it too, if you so much as have him to yourself. Flickers is for safety, and you can take my word for that."

I thought upon this sadly; for if this was so and the coward's trick was only persevered in, I should be completely foiled, and that blue paper must be in London very soon.