He could take "his whack of wine," as he called it, sit up smoking half the night, and be on horseback the next morning after an early breakfast without the slightest feeling of fatigue.

He was a red-faced little man, with broad shoulders, clean shaven, with small eyes, and a nose on which incipient pimples began to show themselves.

To himself and the comrades of his life he was almost as young as he had ever been; but the young ladies of the county called him Old Spooner, and regarded him as a permanent assistant unpaid huntsman to the Brake hounds.

It was not within the compass of Miss Palliser's imagination to conceive that this man should intend to propose himself to her as her lover.
"I have been waiting for this opportunity all the morning," said Mr.
Spooner.

Adelaide Palliser turned round and looked at him, still understanding nothing.