ing party, -nice pleasant people, of the kind one does not often meet anywhere else; and the Willoughbys come, although the Manor is such a long way off, that-that they are hardly, perhaps, quite the acquisitions they might be" (in fact, she did not know them). "I believe they are excellent people, but they are too distant for one to keep up anything of acquaintanceship with," continued Mrs Jermyn, skimming the surface of truth, but not troubling the deep waters. "Lord Chorley goes, whenever he is at home; and Mrs Curzon, who is rather a notable person in her way, is never absent. Her party has already begun to assemble-quite a houseful, I believe all the married daughters, and their husbands, and such a number of gentlemen!"

"With not a gentleman among them!" supplemented Charlotte, sotto voce. "Do you know Mrs Curzon, Pauline?" "No."

"No loss, I can tell you. Mamma believes in her, because she puts herself forward, and dresses gorgeously, and surrounds herself by a great rabble of people; but, for my part, I think she is the kind of widow that ought to have been burnt in a suttee. She would have presided over the whole ceremonial with the utmost enjoyment, and made eyes at the Brahmin who handed her up the pile. Your last sight of her would have been, enthroned aloft in the greatest comfort, waving her fan, and kissing the tips of her fingers to her dear relations among the crowd. What a pity, what a very great pity that the world and Mrs Curzon have both been defrauded of such a treat!"

Mrs Jermyn had now turned to Tom. "Of course I have only named a few," she said. "There will be plenty of others, as you will see, to say nothing of the pres

ent company. The Thomsons, of course, and Major Soames, and the Jacks"

"Don't know one of them," he remarked. "I don't know a soul about here, except never mind, you will find me some partners, Pauline. It is the best fun in the world making your way about a room full of strangers, and being able to pick out whom you like, without being obliged to ask the bores."

"If one can do so," replied Mrs Jermyn, not over well pleased at her list having failed to awaken either respect or inquiry. "If one could choose for one's self, it would be naturally pleasant; but such a plan is not always, excuse me, feasible. Sir John and Lady Finch, for instance, are extremely strict in the matter of introductions, and make quite a point of no one's being brought up to any of their party who is not-not- "she paused, uncertain how to finish so plainly rude a speech.

With the grudge she owed Pauline, so good an opportunity of rebuking the presumptuous brother had been too tempting; but it was difficult, in the presence of so many, to administer the necessary chastisement.

Was he, then, to carry matters with a high hand too? Had Tom no more idea than Pauline to what a low estate they had fallen? She was vexed with herself for the notice she had involuntarily bestowed upon Tom, and longed to retract it; but both the previous condescension and its present withdrawal were lost upon the ungrateful recipient.

Her unfinished sentence, her "not-not- he filled up after his own fashion.

"Not all there'?" he said, merrily. "Is that it, ma'am? What a peculiar couple! Are there any little Finches, or are they all hatched and flown?"

"Mr Finch is"Coming up to the front door." Mrs Jermyn began the reply, her daughter finished it.

"Is that Mr Finch?" said Tom. "He has got a nice little horse. Do you think he will offer me a mount while I am here?"

Unparalleled audacity! Sir John and Lady Finch, the people of the neighbourhood, to be called "a peculiar couple," their name joked about, and their property coveted!

The angry colour gathered on Mrs Jermyn's cheek, and she glanced around, seeking support.

Would Camilla not say a word? Would Pauline not look abashed? Was Charlotte actually laughing?

None of them had any sense of propriety. Mr Fennel had even turned to young La Sarte, and begun a hunting conversation, and Mrs Wyndham was regarding them both with the complacency of a hostess who sees her guests assimilating properly. Nor did the entrance of Dolly Finch improve matters.

It was Dolly's way to love and be loved, to look kindly on the world in general, and to hail with rapture anything of a kindred spirit.

This alone would have been sufficient to have insured for Mrs Wyndham's nephew the warmest reception; but in Tom he saw Pauline's brother.

Words cannot paint the satisfaction of his heart.

Due inquiries had hardly been made, he barely allowed himself time to express his pleasure at witnessing the invalid recovered, ere he turned to Tom. So lucky an opportunity could not be made too much of; and, in headlong haste, to take every advantage of it, he bethought him of the very mount on which young La Sarte had been speculating.

In less than five minutes it was placed at his disposal.

As frankly was it accepted.

"With just a 'Thank you,' and no more," said Mrs Jermyn afterwards. "Without a scruple about making use of Sir John's beautiful horses. Absolute forcing himself on their acquaintance. Making the appointment. Seeing no favour in it-no-no-no anything. The coolness of these young people is really beyond bearing."

This, however, had to be for Charlotte's ears alone, and Charlotte merely replied by a shrug of her shoulders. It was not worth her while to open the eyes of the wilfully blind, even had it been a possibility.

During the visit little could be said, and nothing could be done, to interfere with the arrangements, which were harmoniously completed under the indignant lady's very nose. "You'll come up to breakfast? said Dolly.

"Thanks. What hour?" "Ten, sharp. The meet is in the enclosure in front of the house." "I hope that frosty look in the sky will give way," said Tom. "I don't half like the look of it. How was the scent this morning?"

"I-I wasn't out with them," said Dolly.

He was looking at Pauline as he spoke, and all but Tom knew how to interpret the words.

Tom stared. Not out with them? Wilfully not out? Was it possible, credible? He could scarcely believe his ears.

"Got a cold," muttered Dolly, in explanation. "Nasty sort of day." Then, with a happy thought, "What will you do for me to-day, Miss La Sarte? You cured me splendidly last week, and I have come back for more of the same stuff.”

Such spirit deserved to be rewarded, as it was. He had secured the right to talk to her, and having thus begun, continued boldly

"An awfully good idea!" cried Tom. "My sister would enjoy nothing more.

We'll both come."

"So very kind," murmured Mrs Jermyn, for him.

She was the only auditor. Mrs Wyndham was entertaining Mr Fennel, and Charlotte was occupied with a study of the pair.

"So exceedingly kind," continued she, as the party soon after went in to luncheon. "I hope, Pauline, that your brother will really appreciate such an offer. I hope he will understand why it was made. It would not be amiss, I think, to give him a word of caution, a hint

"The very thing for the dear boy, is it not?" exulted her sister-in-law in the same breath. "Now there is no need to fear he will be dull. Now we shall feel his visit is really provided for. What could have happened more à propos? Fennel being here, too. gathering of young men !"

Mr

Quite a

She was in the best of humours; her aside was conveyed in a happy whisper, Mrs Jermyn's in a surly undertone; but to neither did Pauline pay heed.

She was planning how to get off the promised engagement. Her head ached, but dare she plead that? Her aunt had not been invited, but could she suggest that? Dolly, alone, had asked her. She caught at this.

She caught at it, but to no purpose, her aunt was simply surprised. "I don't understand, my dear. Not go because Lady Finch had sent you no invitation? Lady Finch knew nothing of the matter. She has asked you there repeatedly, repeatedly. It was not in the least

VOL. CXXII.-NO. DCCXLI.

necessary that I should be invited; there was no slight to me, none. A young man asks his friend; quite informally-the thought of the moment; and it occurs to him to ask his friend's sister also. To be sure you can go. It would be quite proper and suitable, quite. A nice, merry meeting, and everybody present; I shall be pleased, delighted that you should be seen there-I shall, indeed. You will wear your black and crimson dress. And, Pauline, I think you had better have the landau.”

Mrs Wyndham was still engrossed with her subject when Dolly sauntered up.

"We shall see you to-morrow?" he said, trying hard to conceal his anxiety.

"Thank you, ye-es.”

"You will not disappoint-me ?" he continued in a low voice, and with a sudden meaning and emphasis. Mrs Wyndham had discreetly withdrawn, and the moment was his own. "I am sure you wouldn't, if you only knew. I ought to have said 'us,' I suppose, but I was thinking too much of myself. Miss La Sarte-"

She knew not what she said, but she stopped him.

She began to talk, smile, laugh insanely, and got him quieted somehow.

This was absurd. This could not be allowed. A boy, a mere boy, with whom she had permitted herself to be intimate, with whom she had felt it safe to be familiar, was suddenly developing into a lover. He ought not to make himself ridiculous: creatures of that age should be thinking of other things than love; football, cricket, and suchlike, should "fill the measure of his thoughts."

The girl was absolutely cruel in her contempt.

Poor Dolly's pretty, fair curls,

D

his blue eyes, with their wistful pertinacious gaze, raised no feeling of pity or kindliness in her bosom -rather, they excited in it a spring of bitterness and disgust.

Over her memory there rushed

the recollection of a look, an eye, the turn of a dark head,-was she to blame? she seemed to see before her the man she could have loved; and the man whom she could not love, she hated.

Dolly, however, went off, highly contented with himself, and with all about him.

He had employed his time to the best advantage-had said his say; and now that the opening was thus happily made, there was nothing, he judged, for him to do, but to go hard at it, as was his way with the hounds. He whistled, like a ploughman, as he rode along the lanes; and if Lady Finch did not absolutely whistle also, when she was informed of all that had taken place, she did, at all events, fall silently in with her son's views, and sympathise in his hope and joy, after the most approved maternal fashion.

She did more. She despatched a groom forthwith, bearing a pretty little note of invitation to both ladies, with the promise of taking out a close carriage to the meet, should the morning be unfavourable.

"And if Miss La Sarte prefers the drag, there will be plenty of others to make a party," said she, meaningly. "Mrs Wyndham is

sure to wish to come."

Of course Mrs Wyndham did wish to come, very much indeed; and of course nothing could have pleased her more, than being invited in such a decorous and respectable

manner.

She sat with the note between her fingers half the evening, passing eulogiums alternately upon the

politeness of the writer, the elegance of her composition, and the long tails of her y's.

"I had no intention of going, none whatever," she said; "I did not in the least expect to be thought of. But since Lady Finch is so kindhas taken the trouble to send over on purpose-I think I shall really enjoy it. Pauline, my love, what will you have with your early cup of tea? Something you really will need; it will be quite a little journey. Tom must take care of himself. is your expedition, Tom-we go on your account. You will see that we are in time? Order the landau when you please, and we will do our best to be ready, although the hour is certainly a drawback. shall go to bed a little sooner tonight this has been a fatiguing afternoon; at least

:

It

She had not wished to confess so much. Her nephew had fallen on a lucky day, and might be allowed to presume that the Grange was ordinarily thus beset.

"You have the right sort of neighbours, I see," said Tom. "That's everything, in the country. I suppose you keep open house, Aunt Camilla."

No supposition could have gratified his aunt more; and she regarded the speaker with new complacency, as she called to mind the manifestly good impression he had made upon her guests in general,

and upon those guests whose opinion she most cared about, in particular.

It was something, not only to have a man in the house, but to have a man who drew thither other men. It was a great thing to have a nephew who could make a friend of Dolly Finch. She began to wonder how she had done without Tom. As she walked up-stairs she found in him fresh merits at every landing.

Left together, the brother and sister began to talk.

"Isn't it capital?" cried the sanguine Tom, referring to his next day's amusement; "I daresay I shall be out, every time. This is a threedays-a-week pack, Finch says. It's a roughish country, and lames the hounds, rather. What a jolly fellow he is! And didn't I come in the very nick of time? The other one would have mounted me too, only he is short of two horses; he was awfully civil, but he has a duffer of a seat. I don't believe he is ever in the field with the others."

All of this she had heard before, but, full of his subject, he had for a time no thoughts to bestow on anything else.

At last, "Those Jermyns were the only people here to-day whom I did not fancy," said he. "They were not quite the thing. Why do you have them over in this sort of way?" Why? Because-well-of course -in fact-because she believed they could not help it.

"Oh, nonsense!" said he, easily. "Where is the difficulty? 'em not to come."

Tell

Pauline smiled. "You really ought," proceeded the authority. "I mean it. Get Aunt Camilla to let them know

"They are her relations." "Relations, or not,-by the way, being relations makes it worse

she ought to have her own way in her own house. She ought not to be forced to have those sort of people about her. With their bonnets off, too."

"Bonnets off!"

"Making themselves at home. Those two ladies, sisters, who came in last one of them was Lady Georgina Something-they took them for some of us. No wonder. Mrs Jermyn never had 'sister-inlaw' out of her mouth, unless it was to substitute 'your aunt,' when she turned to the girl. I was horribly ashamed. I should have liked to have said something, only I didn't know how. Aunt Camilla should tell them not to do it."

A sudden vision of Mrs Jermyn's face, could she have heard herself thus easily disposed of, overcame Pauline's gravity, and he could not but laugh himself, although he did not choose to yield the point.

Pauline defended Charlotte, but in vain. She had been seen to no advantage, and she had not been heard at all. He would not believe a word in her favour.

No; Mrs Wyndham must be spoken to.

"You are the one to speak to her," he said; "she will listen to you.

She gave me a flaming account of your illness last night, evidently thinking it had been just the thing to make her party go off well. And that was what brought those fellows here to-day? I'm very much obliged to you-I wouldn't have missed the chance on any account."

He was too busy and too happy to be curious; it had turned out well for him, and he was content. "But I would suppress the Jermyns," he concluded, after a pause, during which his sister had thrice essayed to introduce the subject nearest her heart, and twice had her courage failed.