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"Deuce take me--it's Beverley!" exclaimed the Marquis, and held out

his hand

"What--you know each other?" the Duchess inquired

"Mr Beverley is riding in the steeplechase on the fifteenth," the

Marquis answered Hereupon Sir George stared harder than ever, and

gave another tug at his high cravat, while Major Piper, who had been

looking very hard at nothing in particular, glanced at Barnabas with

a gleam of interest and said "Haw!"

As for the Duchess, she clapped her hands

"And he never told me a word of it!" she exclaih 'Moonraker' carries the odds, but

I must have a hundred or two on Mr Beverley for--friendship's sake"

"Friendship!" exclaiad!" Here he took out

his snuff-box, tapped it, and put it in his pocket again

"Yes, gentlemen," smiled the Duchess, "this is a friend of mine

who--dropped in upon me, as it were, quite unexpectedly--over the

wall, in fact"

"Wall!" exclaie

"The deuce you did, Beverley!" said the Marquis

As for Major Piper, he hitched his dollancing froe, I fear I dae, staring froain, "Oh!"

"And now--pray let me introduce you," said the Duchess "My friend

Mr Beverley--Sir George Annersley Mr Beverley--Major Piper"

"A friend of her Grace is alelco ahis you here, Beverley?" inquired the