"What's the matter, Jawge? Yaw haven't answered my intewogatowy!"
"Aw, indeed! That's stwange. I merely wished to knaw who Mr. White Cap is?"
"Just what I'd like to know myself. All I can tell you is, that he's an army fellow--in the Cavalry I believe--by name Ryecroft."
"Aw yas; Cavalwy. That's evident by the bend of his legs. Wyquoft--Wyquoft, you say?"
"So he calls himself--a captain of Hussars--his own story."
This in a tone and with a shrug of insinuation.
"But yaw don't think he's an adventuwer?"
"Who's his endawser? How came he intwoduced at Llangowen?"
He could though; for Miss Wynn, true to her promise, has made him acquainted with the circumstances of the river adventure, though not those leading to it; and he, true to his, has kept them a secret. In a sense therefore, he could not tell, and the subterfuge is excusable.
"By Jawve! The Light Bob appears to have made good use of his time--however intwoduced. Miss Gwen seems quite familiaw with him; and yondaw the little Lees shaking hands, as though the two had been acquainted evaw since coming out of their cwadles! See! They're dwagging him up to the ancient spinster, who sits enthawned in her chair like a queen of the Tawnament times. Vewy mediæval the whole affair--vewy!"
"Instead, very modern; in my opinion disgustingly so!"
"Why! Because in either olden or mediæval times such a thing couldn't have occurred--here in Herefordshire."
"A man admitted into good society without endorsement or introduction. Now-a-days any one may be so; claim acquaintance with a lady, and force his company upon her, simply from having had the chance to pick up a dropped pocket-handkerchief, or offer his umbrella in a skiff of a shower!"
"But, shawly, that isn't how the gentleman yondaw made acquaintance with the fair Gwendoline?"
"Oh! I don't say that," rejoins Shenstone, with forced attempt at a smile--more natural, as he sees Miss Wynn separate from the group they are gazing at, and come back to reclaim her bow. Better satisfied, now, he is rather worried by his importunate friend, and to get rid of him adds:
"If you are really desirous to know how Miss Wynn became acquainted with him, you can ask the lady herself."
Not for all the world would the swell put that question to Gwen Wynn. It would not be safe; and thus snubbed he saunters away, before she is up to the spot.