On the sight of her the Duke left me and ran forward.

By an adroit movement he thrust Carford aside and began to ply the lady with most extravagant and high-flown compliments, displaying an excess of devotion which witnessed more admiration than respect.

She had treated me as a boy, but she did not tell him that he was a boy, although he was younger than I; she listened with heightened colour and sparkling eyes.

I glanced at Carford and found, to my surprise, no signs of annoyance at his unceremonious deposition.

He was watching the pair with a shrewd smile and seemed to mark with pleasure the girl's pride and the young Duke's evident passion.