Remember your life is precious to us all." With these affectionate words Captain Oliphant left the room, candle in hand.

As he passed his daughter's boudoir he looked in.

It was empty.
The young ladies had long since taken refuge in their bedroom.

All the house, in fact, except Captain Oliphant, had done the same.
That gentleman, as he passed another door which stood half open, could not resist a friendly impulse to peep in.

It was a snug room, with a piano in one corner, and foils, boxing gloves, Oxford prints, and other tokens of a bachelor proprietorship displayed on the walls.