sir, that the mere accident of your having the loan of your father's house entitles you to trespass-to ride about in my lanes blocking them up with your unguillotined carcase ? Make way, I bid you, before my blood's too up to spare your mealy face! Stand aside, I say "

But Charles was neither very well able, nor in any way disposed to comply with the choleric old gentleman, so he merely kept his temper under the violent abuse of the baronet -and when the one had blown himself with his wild vehemence, the other quietly said

"Now, Sir Ethelred, perhaps you would oblige me by explaining what all this means-I come back to my own home. and neighbourhood, and find myself worse treated-I mean what I say—in a more ungentlemanly manner than I was even by those grimy, low-bred radicals."

"Glad to hear it."

"What are you glad to hear?"

"That they treated you badly-served you right—always is so."

Ay, but you don't say you are glad to hear that they behaved like perfect gentlemen compared with men of sound principle, and if I may say so, men of true religion like yourself, Sir Ethelred."

"Sound-religion (staring incredulously)-me? What then you're not a Radical devil after all?-thought not-knew it couldn't be so-a man who has blood, and ten thousand a year, at least would have had, if he hadn't had a jackass for a sire, and a lunatic pauper for a dam; excuse my freedom, but I'm honest, you know of old" (Ahem! so-so-thought Mr. Charles, certainly far from civil)—"Give me your hand, Charles-true blue to the back bone, eh? D-n the Radicals -how's your respected father?-used to miss him very much at first-never could bear the new man-low doctrine and low origin altogether-never went to church but once since your father left, nor before either, except to a funeral or two —but then that was not out of any disrespect to him—not at all-I knew he was all right-and besides, I was wild in those days—all men are a little, you know, on your side of forty-you are, I dare say. Don't say no. How's your

mother-oh, I forgot-I meant your wife-not of this county, I think ?-One of the right sort, I'll be bound-never knew a Barton take a fool for a wife-at least-well, now, what a load off my mind. You'll dine with me-don't say no-you don't look strong enough for the run- -but we shall be drawing home towards sun-down-only to think of that idle, lying vagabond, Grogram, telling me you were a Radical still." "Did he tell you so, Sir Ethelred?"

"Yes, he did the liar!"

'Why, so far you musn't be hard on him; for I did somehow get mixed up with a set, who led me on with a precious lot of cant about principles."

"Principle be hanged-be true to your party-THE party for there is only one that's worth being true to. Never mind apologies, you're all right now-that's quite enough for a gentleman; and I'm glad to hear it—and Grogram is a liar ; but I'll stop his bleating in double quick time, the rascally sheep-face. But good-bye-you look poorly-pick up heart, Charles. You'll be all right in a week or two, with that cursed Radicalism off your conscience-and I shall be late. I'll make all right with the hunt-and, by the way, this is Grogram's day-I'm d-d if I don't play him a trick-the scurvy pate! He's always in at the death, lawyer-like; I'll be in too to-day, clap the fox in my pocket, and throw Groggy to the dogs-aha !—he'll make a capital fox-sly and brown -the hounds will never know the difference. God bless you." And away went the red coat flapping in the wind, and the red face redder than of old; and the worthy owner of so much red covering murmured to himself as he went"Lucky thing for Charles he let out in time, before the old red blood was fairly up."

We doubt about its being such a very lucky thing-but that's not our concern; and besides, Mr. Charles himself agreed so far with his reconciled neighbour, that he thought he had come through very well, with flying colours. He felt as if he had acted a manly and straightforward part in the entire business, and rode homewards like a man who has outlived a false impression, and regained his right position. When he arrived at home he was in high spirits; and as he

narrated the particulars of the ludicrous scene between Mottram and Sir Ethelred, and then recounted with some excusable variations his own share in the adventures of the morning, the dear girl's face shone not only with love, but with pride too-for she thought, as most mere plebeian girls do, that a baronet, even though he was a roystering foxhunting bacchanal, was more than a match for ordinary men, so that she could appreciate, and did in words extol the courage and wit which Charles (according to his own account) had displayed. Charles noted this flush of the pride he had so longed to awaken, and he inly resolved that if in no higher sphere, yet most conspicuously in the circle of the neighbouring gentry he would shine henceforth to her complete satisfaction.

CHAPTER V.

THE BEST SOCIETY.

THE wish which Sarah had expressed in the course of that morning drive of which we have spoken was fulfilled; but its reality was not exactly what she had pictured to herself, especially in one point which had not entered into her calculation. A succession of invitations involved a definite number of return visits, and in the course of these return visits new engagements of a festive kind were forced upon the happy, home-loving pair. The circle of acquaintance was greatly widened, that of friendship was also widened until deterioration in quality was evident, and dissipation in some sort inevitable. The immediate wish of both hearts was not, however, to be gratified. Mr. Drake had, as we have seen, pleaded term-time and the like. Mr. Barton, after long waiting, as if he had striven hard to say, "Yes," pleaded heart-sickness, painful memories, and abundant consolation in his own sweet evangel-his daily life of doing good; in addition to the blest knowledge that his beloved children had really a bliss which they longed and could afford to show him. And so these two hearts were gradually drawn from that peaceful home

life so sweet to one, so safe to both. The gay world with open arms bade the recreant welcome to its glittering halls, forgave him his early treachery to the good cause, which bound them to each other with silver cords, and shut them up from the dust and noisome vapours of the brawling world around. They forgave the low birth of the young wife for her simplicity's sake, and for the sake of that goodness of nature which they could appreciate by force of contrast, and which they were well enough skilled to use. Her innocent relish for the sprightly and exciting incidents of this new life covered a multitude of sins. They stretched out their hands to her as they would have done to receive some fresh plucked rose with the spring dew still trembling on its leaf. It was refreshing to see such artless and genuine happiness—such naive pride in small matters-such hearty faith in all these hollow conventional splendours of politeness-it came amongst them as a mountain rill, amidst their arid life.

As for Charles, truly he had found his element, and was fulfilling his mission in the world (not by any means an evangel). He had long complained that destiny and desire were at issue. Here they met and became one. Conspicuous he desired to be, and amidst all this superficial tinsel glory his personal glory shone to advantage, and for a time he deemed the sphere a worthy one. Adulation was no longer the bribe for service to be rendered; it was the spontaneous offer of men and fair women who seldom had it to bestoweven for a purpose; it was the consideration due and rendered to one who had resisted the fascination of the prevailing madness; (who might indeed have given way for a time, and no wonder if he did, when one considered the price which such helpless ignorant masses would be willing to pay for such a fair sample of aristocratic wisdom and influence;) but who had promptly seen and retraced his errors, bringing back not only the ordinary zeal of a renegade, but all the advantages of having been a favoured and trusted dweller in the enemy's camp, able and ready to marshal the forces of Toryism direct to the points of attack which he knew to be least ably defended. And really it is not too much to say that Charles deserved the marked attention which was bestowed on him

on every hand. We know that his qualities were not very brilliant, or not so very decidedly great as to have left any impression elsewhere; but in this circle, so conceited and effete, his acquirements of every kind, but chiefly those which he had taken up with in his recent course of life, were astonishing, and coming from one of themselves were unconsciously exaggerated by the very force of that conceit which had hitherto prevented them from forming any acquaintance with. that noble, struggling, soaring world, which in their ignorance they dared to count for nothing.

Insensible dullards that they were, mere logic, mere moral reasoning would have made not the smallest impression; fortunately for Charles's good opinion of himself, he was no adept in the handling of these weapons, nor are they weapons which every common juggler can wield without showing the trick to the spectator. But by dint of a highly impressionable nature, and a memory still vivid in its pictures of all that had made him feel strongly, he was enabled to present strong points in strong lights, sometimes startling the mooneyed squires, or their star-eyed daughters, by putting the case as against themselves in so tremendous a light that they could not fail to see it, and trembled in strange suspense until he who had raised the inexpugnable fortress was pleased to exert an equal force in knocking the fortress down. Sometimes he would put the questions then in agitation in such a form as to make them feel that they must lie in their throats to say "No" to his position; sometimes brought these questions to exhibit so important an influence on their own dearest interests, that they would rather believe in Reform than not, and there was a feeling of shame mingling with their sense of relief when he came forward in his real character as a "true blue," to combat the arguments, to strip off the ingenuous disguises which had all but converted these obstinate old political mummies. He had a double advantage over his sapient audience. Not only was he familiar with the new school doctrines in their most faith-compelling aspects, but having been in the front of the great hot battle line for a short time, he was in possession of arguments on the Conservative side of all questions which these stuffed antiquities