When he had stuffed them pretty well, he retired softly and listened at the door.

Neither of the gentlemen was in a hurry to break the ice; each waited for the other.
Walter made the first remark--"What delicious tea!" "As good as where you come from ?" inquired Colonel Clifford, insidiously.
"A deal better," said Walter.
"By-the-bye," said the Colonel, "where _do_ you come from ?" Walter mentioned the town.
"You astonish me," said the Colonel.

"I made sure you had been enjoying the pleasures of the capital." "My purse wouldn't have stood that, sir." "Very few purses can," said Colonel Clifford.

Then, in an off-hand way, "Have you brought her along with you ?" "Certainly not," said Walter, off his guard.

"Her?
Who ?" "Why, the girl that decoyed you from your father's roof." "No girl decoyed me from here, sir, upon my honor." "Whom are we talking about, then?
Who is _her_ ?" "Her?
Why, Lucy Monckton." "And who is Lucy Monckton ?" "Why, the girl I fell in love with, and she deceived me nicely; but I found her out in time." "And so you came home to snivel ?" "No, sir, I didn't; I'm not such a muff.