My lord nodded his head sadly, and said, — " Will
your ladyship give me your word of honour to be se-
cret ? My son has but a thousand a-year, which I allow
him, and is heavily in debt. He has played, Madam,
I fear ; and for this reason I am so glad to hear that he
is in a respectable domestic circle, where he may learn,
in the presence of far greater and purer attractions, to
forget the dice-bo;f, and the low company which has
been his bane."

My lady Griffin looted very grave indeed. "Was it
tnie ? Was Deuceace sincere in his professions of love,
or was he only a sharper wooing her for her money ?



112 THE YELLOWPLUSH PAPERS.
Could she doubt her informer? his own father, and,
what' s more, a real flesh and blood pear of parlyment ?
She determined she would try him. Praps she did not
know she had liked Deuceace so much, until she kem
to feel how much she should hate him, if she found he'd
been playing her false.
The evening was over, and hack they came, as we've
seen, — my lord driving home in my lady's carridge,
her ladyship and Miss walking up stairs to their own
apartmince.
