Early in the morning she had reminded Carry of Mr Smith's foreign residence, and suggested the propriety of a few made-up dishes. Papa was told to stay at home and make himself fit for company; and punctually at half-past one o'clock the company arrived.

Mr Smith had talked of an old friend, and the sisters had concluded he meant one of his own contemporaries. They were rather taken aback, in consequence, when a slender elegantly-formed young man, whose age certainly could not exceed thirty-five, followed him into the room, and was named as Sir George Lorrimer.

Miss Tolleton had nothing to regret. She knew Sir George by name, and knew that there was a Lady Lorrimer. She was proud of Mr Smith's acquaintance, and pleased that he should wish to make his, theirs. She was seen to the best advantage. Beautiful, graceful, hospitable, unembarrassed, her manners just what they ought to be. George was caught, "by Jove!"

Sir

When first told that he was going to a Mr Tolleton's, a neighbour's, to luncheon, he had wished Mr Tolleton at the bottom of the sea. A country lout who would drag him out to inspect his farming, his pigs, and his poultry. Mr Smith's remarking that the young ladies were reputed beauties mended the case a little; but it was not until he had seen the eldest daughter, that he gave over considering the engagement an unmitigated bore.

The other sisters were not worth looking at.

Poor Carry! poor Lily! The truth was, they had not changed their dresses. Mrs Hunt's eulogium on their neatness might be just, but they looked dowdy beside their brilliant sister. Lily had laughed at Helen for taking so much trouble, but she now earnestly wished she had done the same. And Helen had urged her to do it, said it was very little trouble, that a black silk never got harmed, and that it looked odd for one to change and not the others.

For this the others had their answer. Why then did she do it? She had looked quite nice before, and her beautiful lace square and sleeves would certainly not, keep clean long if they were to be worn on every such occasion. Mr Smith would have liked her just as well as she was. There had been a little tiff between the two parties, harmlessly ending in each taking their own way.

Miss Tolleton had coiled her hair afresh, and put on the new dress, and a band of scarlet velvet round her throat. Lily contented herself with a clean collar, and washing her hands. Carry, after the tiff was over, forgot all about it, and the luncheon-party besides; and was caught in the drawing-room just as she was.

The consciousness of this, joined to the usual unavailing regrets, confused the two culprits, and the evidence the new-comer was not slow to give of his considering them inferior, altogether quelled them. Sir George, in fact, imagined they were still in the schoolroom. They had entirely the look of two blooming awkward school-girls. They seated themselves at table without a word, and even Lily remained nearly mute the whole time of luncheon.

Helen came out all the better for the dull background. She and her father had plenty to say, and she, at least, said it well. With Mr Smith they seemed on the easiest terms. Sir George observed with a little surprise the animation with which his fair neighbour addressed his friend. For him were her sparkling sallies, her playful repartees. For him several retrospective allusions which seemed enigmas to the rest. Her opinion was sought in

return, and her wishes consulted.

It appeared as if they understood each other. He looked at Miss Tolleton once or twice, and after considering that she was a lively girl as well as a pretty one, it suddenly dawned upon him that she was a clever one too.

This must be looked into. He delighted to unravel a scheme, to pick out the kernel of a secret. It was something worth coming for; it gave an interest to the day. Had they not been expected at the Castle, he would have liked to remain a little after luncheon; to spend the after

noon, in fact. They were expected, however, and had

promised to call early, not to keep any one at home.

"Nice chatty little woman, Lady Sauffrenden," said Sir George.

"We don't know her," replied Helen, calmly.

So much Mr Smith had by this time become aware of. No one had assigned any reason, or indeed had openly stated the fact; but he had discovered the fact, and longed to know the reason.

If Miss Tolleton had appeared confused, had tried to

slur it over, had offered any excuse, all would have been plain; but her quiet "We don't know her," made all the "don't knowing" appear to be on their side. It had now the aspect of a good, honest, neighbourly quarrel.

When Helen asked Captain Wellwood after Lady Sauffrenden's health in that thoughtful manner before mentioned, it was merely for the sake of relieving an awkwardness. She had no thought of blinding him. She had no intention of deceiving Mr Smith. Philip, she knew, was already aware how it was, and Mr Smith soon would be. The affectionate inquiry had answered its end, but now the subject must be treated differently.

Sir George, as well as Mr Smith, took it as she intended.

"A peppery little person, you know," said the former, confidentially, afterwards. "She always did like to have the high hand, and I dare say gets Sauffrenden into hot water sometimes. What a good fellow he is! I never knew a better fellow in my life."

"I always thought there was something," said Mr Smith, reverting to the Tolletons. "It was never said, but I felt sure there was. I have heard Miss Tolleton ask most kindly after Lady Sauffrenden, but I could not gather from that, whether they were acquainted or not.”

"That was very plainly said to-day, however. Perhaps the little woman objects to having such attractions too frequently at the Castle. No, not on any particular account, of course; but you know it is a fact that the pretty creatures positively can't like each other, however much they try."

"That is one of your abominable notions, which you try to pawn off on other people. It is not a fact to me. You must find some other reason."

"Pon my word, I can't.

should say he had been—

Sauffrenden's no dangler, or I

'No, no, Lorrimer, that won't pass either."

"Then, depend upon it, Mr Tolleton's cat has been hunting the woods and got trapped."

"That is far more likely."

"Or his dog killed a pheasant."

"More likely still."

"Or he hands the plate too regularly at church; or he

objects to smoking in the railway carriage; or-or-his daughter is too pretty by half."

This Mr Smith vehemently denied.

Carry and Lily revenged themselves for their enforced retirement into the shade as soon as Freelands was itself again. Helen, you told us he said an old friend."

"So he did; those were his words. How could I tell any more than you that the old friend would prove a young man? You'll wish now you had done as I asked you about your black silks."

"But who would ever have guessed," said Lily, in an injured voice," that an old fusty Mr Smith-I beg your pardon, Nelly, but it is the truth-that he should have had a friend like that?".

"And a baronet to boot!"

"I rather wondered you did not waver in your allegiance, my dear. I gave you great credit for not transferring your petits soins at once to the new aspirant."

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'Aspirant! Nonsense!"

"You chose to consider him such, whether he was or not -I knew by your way."

"If you knew so well," said her sister, nettled, "it is a pity you did not know a little better. Lorrimer."

There is a Lady

"How did you find that out? I don't believe it." "Believe it or not, as you like. You might have heard Mr Smith talk of her if you had kept your ears open."

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Open they must have been indeed, for I never come within a hundred yards when you are talking, on purpose to be out of the way."

"Well, there is, then; she was one of the Adcourts." "Is he come to stay?"

"That I don't know. I tell you I did not know he was coming. I had no idea it was to be he. The only thing I do know is that he has a wife."

"I don't think it was fair in Mr Smith to bring a man of that stamp to any one's house without warning. Of course we are not like great folks. Did you see the shudder he gave at the singed pudding?" "Oh, Carry, that reminds me. cook about that pudding. It was would eat it."

You must speak to the horrible, and Mr Smith

"He had got it on his plate before it was discovered, and then he persisted in finishing it.”

"I can't think what made her do it, I am sure," said Carry. "Stupid woman! The rest was all so nice. If only Mr Smith had had the sense not to break it, the singed smell never would have come out. It was close to me all the time, and I had a suspicion there was something nasty. It was very faint, and no one else would have known. What made him take pudding at all? He should have taken jelly, if he took anything. Very few men touch sweet things at luncheon."

"Oh, well, it doesn't matter; everything else was good. Nothing could have passed off better. And now I wonder what he will go and say of us at the Castle!"

"I don't believe he will mention us."
"And I believe he will, the first thing."

CHAPTER XII.

I THOUGHT IT WOULD NEVER END!

HELEN was right. Sir George did mention them, and very nearly, if not quite the first thing.

He declined luncheon on the ground of having had luncheon. They had just come from having it with some pretty neighbours of theirs; and then, before he could say the name, Lord Sauffrenden's face showed that he at least had divined it.

There was silence directly it was spoken, and the inevitable guilty Tolleton air stole over several of the company. On Philip Wellwood, who was having a day's shooting at the Castle, and on the host himself, it was most visible, but a shadow of it tainted even Mr Smith. Sir George Lorrimer and Lady Sauffrenden alone were unmoved.

Sir George went on with all the unreservedness of a stranger. "What a handsome girl the eldest is! She is the eldest, is she not-or are there others?"

How busy Lord Sauffrenden was feeding Gyp, and how