you behaved very badly to your friend in deserting him without a word of excuse."

"Oh, Percy Mortimer don't mind," said Horace; "he likes nobody's society so well as his own; and he's not far wrong, for a pleasanter fellow one seldom comes across. But you know him, don't you? I saw you shake hands with him when we came down to dinner."

The pale face certainly turned paler, while she answered, looking straight before her:

"Yes-no-that is to say-(give me a little water, please)— I've met him abroad. He's been a great traveller, you know, and so have I."

"Exactly," replied Horace, carelessly, yet with intention. "A travelling acquaintance, like myself; only I wonder you didn't make a deeper impression, for I heard him call you by a wrong name."

There was no doubt of her paleness now; even her lips were white. But at this juncture an arm clad in broadcloth came between them, and a solemn voice, offering "Champagne-sweet or dry?" afforded a moment's respite, during which she recovered her presence of mind, and prepared for a bold stroke.

"Mr. Maxwell," said she, looking him full in the face, with her clear grey eyes, "can you keep a secret?"

Every gentleman can," he answered, in a low earnest voice. "Without understanding, or trying, or even wishing, to understand it?"

"Honour is honour. Miss Blair, tell me your secret."

While he spoke, one of those ominous silences which are apt to fall on a dinner-party at the most inconvenient moments, caused everybody to turn an expectant ear for her answer. In parliamentary language, Miss Blair was "in possession of the house," and few ladies could have been less embarrassed by the situation.

"I like sweet champagne better than dry," said she, with perfect gravity, "it is a humiliating confession, yet I don't feel the least ashamed of it."

"Bravo!" exclaimed young Perigord, who had been trying both. "She's quite right. So do I."

The din of conversation began again, louder for its temporary cessation. She took advantage of it to whisper in Maxwell's ear:

"I know I can trust you. I wonder what you think of it all; but you will never allude to this again?"

you

"To your liking for sweet champagne ?" he answered, laughing. Certainly not. Trust me all in all, or not at all-whichever please. But there's a deal of bad wine about," he added, conscious that his voice was again rather too audible. "Lots of stuff they call champagne, that has no sort of right to the name.

“What is in a name?” said Miss Blair.

And they felt they understood each other from that moment.

It was a pleasant sensation enough, Maxwell thought, to have made a treaty of alliance with this handsome and mysterious dame. He knew so little of her, and admired her so much, not having made out who she was, why she came, what position she occupied in society, nor indeed anything about her, except that she was very good-looking and perfectly well-dressed. Unlike his friend Mortimer, Horace dearly loved the easy life of a country house; but he began to think that this was going to be one of the most agreeable visits he had ever paid, and found himself hoping the weather would be too bad to permit out-of-door amusements, and that he might find an excuse for spending all to-morrow in the society of this charming person, whom he did not quite like to think of as Mrs. Delancy, yet could hardly bring himself to call Miss Blair.

And she, being a true woman, determined to accept the pleasure of the moment without consideration for results. She had liked Horace Maxwell's looks when she saw him on the platform of the railway station, and was by no means averse to his sharing the solitude of her journey. He improved on acquaintance, and in wishing him goodbye she was perfectly sincere while she expressed a hope of meeting him again. It was decidedly a pleasant surprise to find that they were inmates of the same house, and when she was recognised so unexpectedly in his hearing by his friend, she felt that to no one would she rather become an object of curiosity, and consequently of interest. than to the good-looking agreeable young gentleman who sat at dinner by her side.

It was her nature to enjoy the present without troubling herself about the future, and the course of her life from girlhood had taught her to bask in such gleams of sunshine as she could catch, undismayed by the clouds that were lowering in the future, undefeated by the storms that had devastated the past.

"I can take care of myself," she thought, "or my training has been indeed worse than useless, and I need not be afraid of burning my own fingers at a game I have resolved never to play in earnest again. I suppose he can't stay less than three days, and it will give one quite an interest in life to see how much may be done in so short a time. I shall make him like me just enough to feel that he has never before had so delightful a visit, and to be quite low and uncomfortable for a week after he goes away; not more. He is very nice, and it would be a shame to make him unhappy, though he couldn't complain, for I believe men never have any mercy upon us. He looks as if he would care too, when one gets through the outer crust of worldliness they all think it necessary to affect as if it were a merit to possess no sympathies, no opinions, no feelings, and no brains.

Men with eyes like his always have some romance in them, if one can only get at it, and a man's romance is more utterly idiotic, I do think, than a woman's! I have made a good beginning. I don't remember ever doing so much in so few hours; but to-morrow morning, when we come down to breakfast, will be the test. I have seen them in the most degraded state of slavery, when they handed one's candle at bedtime, and free as air, with an excellent appetite, next morning. I fancy they exchange horrid sentiments in the smoking-room, and reflect on them while they shave. I do not think, though, I shall be clumsy enough to let him escape like that. Three whole days! Yes, in three days I ought to bring him thoroughly and scientifically into bondage. I know I could if I had him all to myself; but just at the first stage anything like interference is apt to spoil the whole thing. Let me see; who is there here that I need be afraid of? Nobody but Miss Dennison; the others are all old women or guys. But she might be dangerous with all that beautiful hair, and the half shy manner men find so captivating, admiring it as they do a beautiful dress, without troubling themselves to know how it is made and put on. Well, she's got her hands full now, at any rate. I never saw Percy Mortimer so taken before."

During these meditations dinner proceeded solemnly through its appointed routine, on the different courses of which Mortimer experimentalised coolly and perseveringly to the end. The great business of eating, however, did not prevent his appreciating the good looks and good humour of his neighbour Annie Dennison, whose refined beauty, freshened up by country air, was exactly to the taste of a man who had studied and compared the personal advantages of women in every climate under the sun. She too could not but enjoy the conversation of one of the best-informed and pleasantest talkers in London, so they soon struck up a close alliance, cemented by the playful manner in which she identified for him the different guests, with most of whom he was unacquainted.

"You are always amusing, Miss Dennison," said he, "and never illnatured. I feel as if I had known and respected everybody here from boyhood. Even Mrs.-what did you say her name was ?-the lady with a head like a haystack, and a double chin-no, I beg your pardon, a double chin doubled over again."

"I have already told you," answered Annie, laughing in spite of herself; "but if you choose to make personal remarks I shall leave you to your ignorance, and devote myself to an admirer I have been neglecting sadly on my other side.”

"So you ought," said the Etonian, who occupied that position. "You've hardly spoken three words to me since I sat down. You'll be sorry for it to-morrow, when I'm gone."

"I'm sorry for it now," replied Miss Dennison; "but it's too late

for reparation. When Aunt Emily begins putting her gloves on, it means we're all to take flight. There-I told you so―run and open the door, that's a good boy!"

The young gentleman having performed this office with creditable self-possession, returned to seat himself by Percy, and filling his glass with claret, observed, after a deep sigh, "Oh, dear! I wish I was grown up. Wouldn't I just like to be you, Mr. Mortimer, and not going away to-morrow. It seems so jolly to be a man!"

With that the young reprobate winked solemnly, and passed the decanters, recommending his neighbour to make the best use of his time, for they had dined half an hour later than usual, and the butler would bring coffee at a quarter to ten-" The only thing," he whispered, that I should like to see altered in this house."

"How do you manage at Eton ?" asked Percy, much delighted with his new friend. "In my time there was no claret, and if I remember right, very little coffee."

"Were you at Eton ?" exclaimed the boy. "Tell us, wasn't it much jollier then than it is now? Only they swished a good deal more, didn't they? I'm not so sure I should have liked that."

"It was very good fun," answered Percy, who entertained no great belief in the delights of boyhood, but had a vivid recollection of birch and block. "Still, I don't think I should like to do it all over again.'

"That's just what I say," continued the lad, his eyes sparkling, his tongue loosened, the bloom and brightness of his youth freshened, like May flowers after rain, by Mr. Dennison's good wine. "Now my governor's always preaching to me about this being the happiest time of my life-that I've no cares, no troubles, only a few lessons to do, and nothing else to think of but enjoying myself. I don't know; it seems to me when you're grown up there are six whole holidays every week, no chapel, no absence called, and no lock-up at night."

"Don't you think a life of whole holidays would get very wearisome at last?" said Lexley. "All play and no work would make Jack a duller boy than the reverse. Don't you find the days a little too long sometimes, even now ?”

"No, I don't," answered Perigord. "Not when there's lots of cricket. I say, I saw you play once at Lord's. Do you remember what a good score you made off Twister's bowling? I wish you would take pupils; I'd ask my governor to let me come to you directly I leave Eton-I know he means to take me away the end of next half."

Having thus delivered himself, the young gentleman coloured violently, edged his chair nearer the clergyman, and stammered:

"I say, I beg your pardon, I didn't mean to take a liberty-only

if I could do what I liked, I would rather read with you than any fellow I ever saw."

"He's a gentleman," thought Percy, "this noisy young scamp." and wishing to cover the boy's embarrassment, warmly encouraged the idea.

"You might do worse, Mr. Lexley," said he. "It would be a capital thing for Mr. Perigord, and a pleasant fellow to keep you company in that lonely parsonage would be the greatest blessing on earth. I advise you to consider it."

"I shouldn't mind," replied the clergyman laughing, "if Perigord ever thinks of it again--which is doubtful."

"I'll ask the governor directly I get home," exclaimed the boy, delighted to find his suggestion taken in good part. "Won't it be jolly? We'll make a cricket-ground, get up an eleven, and play the county. I told you so-here comes old Dot-and-go-one with the coffee. Half a glass of sherry, please; I always allow myself a 'whitewash'; thanks. I feel better now, and almost equal to joining the ladies."

So he followed the gentlemen across the hall in the highest spirits, no whit diminished by a little interview with Uncle John, who brought up the rear, when a warm shake of the hand and something like the chink of gold passed between the host and his boyish guest.

Though strictly "private and confidential," this delicate transaction was detected by Mr. Foster, who lingered in his official capacity to consult a barometer that stood near the door.

"Fallen more than a quarter of an inch," said he, in his short dry tones; "thought it would change when I drove back from the kennels. If this wind gets up it will do."

"Do you think we shall be obliged to hunt ?" asked Uncle John, considering how many people he would have to mount, and wondering if the stud-groom had gone to bed.

"No frost in the ground," answered Mr. Foster; "two hours rain would take all the snow away, particularly in that Middleton country. If it's a good thaw we might hunt at twelve o'clock. Glad I sent out the appointments for this week at any rate. Plumpton Bridge is only two miles from here. The ladies won't have to make an early start."

"You'll draw Plumpton Oziers, of course ?" said Uncle John. "It's a certainty for a run."

"There was a good fox there last time," answered Mr. Foster, following the other gentlemen into the drawing-room.

His entrance caused all the party to move from their seats as if they had been playing Puss-in-the-Corner, upsetting thereby one or two pleasant arrangements for prolonged tête-à-têtes.

"It's a thaw, Mr. Foster!" exclaimed Miss Dennison, making him