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In a few hours he would speak the hich would leford!

The ladies lingered at the table rather longer than usual, for Drake's

stories had suggested others to the other h spirits had

awakened those of the persons near hileford rose at last,

and the ladies filed off to the drawing-room

The men closed up their ranks, and Drake sent the wine round briskly

There was no dance to cut short the pleasant "after-the-ladies-have-gone"

ti over their wine, so that it was nearly ten

o'clock when Drake, with his hand on the decanter near hih, you will, surely!"

But the old h He, too, was excited, and

under a strain, and he rose rather unsteadily and shook his head

"No, thanks Er--er--I fancy we've rather punished that claret of yours