amicable drive; and the weather and the roads were all that could be desired.

Their way led through Richmond, and across the grey stone bridge that divides that town from the parish of Twickenham. "When you ride home to-night," said Sir Francis, " you'll find it an agreeable change to follow the Isleworth road, on the west bank of the river, and cross by Brentford Bridge. Mighty pretty, quiet stretch, and only a trifle longer, if at all." The footman could have told exactly how much farther it was; but, of course, held his peace, as he would have done had the baronet affirmed it to be two miles shorter. Still bowling easily westward, the horses tramped through the narrow winding street of a sleepy little town, wearied out, as it were, with the burden of its historic associations, and drew up at last before a wrought-iron gateway in a high brick wall, the bricks cemented with green moss and covered with ivy. The gate having been promptly thrown open by the alert footman, the horses tramped through it, and up the gravelled curve of a drive, overshadowed with fragrant lime-trees, until their driver pulled them up before the gabled portal of an elderly but comfortable and solid-looking edifice, faced with white plaster, and dignified by far-projecting eaves. Tossing the reins to the man, Sir Francis got actively down, and assisted his friend to alight. They entered the house arm in arm. A large, cool, shadowy hall received them: beyond, a broad staircase, and opening inward to the right of it, a vista of a spacious drawingroom, with windows opening upon a verandah and a rich lawn at the back of the house.

"Serve dinner at six sharp," said Sir Francis to the obeisant butler. "Now, my dear Grant, there's to be no ceremony here, you know but I remember your fastidious habits. If you want to wash your hands, give yourself the trouble to follow me upstairs, and I think you will find everything arranged to make you comfortable."

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"Uncommon civil the guv'nor is to-day," remarked the butler to the footman, when the two gentlemen had disappeared in the upper regions. "Who his Mr. Grant, I'd like ter know?"

"Ha! you may arsk that, Mr. Tuppin," returned the footman, with airs of superior knowledge. "You may arsk that, and no blame to yer."

"Well, I does hax it," answered Mr. Tuppin brusquely; "not that I supposes you can tell me anything about it, neither!"

"Ha! per-raps not," retorted the footman, abandoning the vagueness of mystery for the definiteness of imagination. "Per-raps I didn't 'ear 'em conversin' as we came along, and the gent a-sayin' as

'ow he'd a 'arf a millium as he was wantin' to inwest, and could the bar'net adwise 'im on the subjeck; and the bar'net he says, says 'e, 'Why, if ten per cent. interest is any use to you, my dear friend,' says 'e, 'I fancies we can take it hoff yer 'ands and no questions arsked.' And the gent said as 'ow 'e'd think about it."

"Oh, that's the story, is it?" said Mr. Tuppin, pushing up his eyebrows and turning down the corners of his mouth. "Well, I thought it might ha' been somethin' new. But as for that, my good fellow," he added, turning away indifferently, "Sir Francis was talkin' about it arter dinner no longer ago than day before yesterday. I'eard 'im myself."

To this assertion the footman was unable to frame a reply; being undecided whether to credit his ears with miraculous inspiration, or to charge Mr. Tuppin with being a liar. The former course being the more agreeable both to his vanity and to his self-interest, he ended by adopting it.

Dinner, instead of being served in the dining-room, which was in the front part of the house, and commanded no pleasant outlook, was laid out in the drawing-room, whence, through the open window, the friends could let their eyes wander out upon the expanse of silken turf, and the verdurous masses of whispering foliage. A sentiment of cultured and imperturbable repose was expressed by this quiet little region; not the vacant or helpless repose of wild nature; but the repose that comes of over-ripeness, or of containing more than can be uttered. The quaint ghosts of past times walked the deep smoothness of the turf and lurked beneath the shadow of the trees.

"Other parts of the world are better to live in, perhaps, than England," remarked Mr. Grant; "but the place to die in is here." "What's that? to die in? Time enough to talk of dying twenty years hence," exclaimed the genial baronet.

"Twenty years is a long time to wait," replied the other meditatively. "The time to leave life is when you find it pleasant, but no longer necessary. My old interests are ended; I should not care to become absorbed in new ones. Not in this world, at all events."

The servant here entered with the after-dinner wines.

"We can't afford to lose you yet awhile, my dear friend," said the baronet heartily; "now that we have got you safely with us again, we mean to keep hold of you. What do you say to our finishing our wine out yonder on the lawn? Yes-Tuppin, take out the table and a couple of chairs. Such weather as this ought to be taken advantage of."

"And by the way," he resumed, after the change had been made, and they had been left finally alone in their seclusion, "talking about living in England-where do you propose actually to settle? Of course, I assume that you've no notion of remaining permanently in your present quarters-not even if you have designs on the widow -eh? Ha, ha !"

"Possibly not; but I have no other definite plans touching a dwelling," replied the other, fixing his eyes coldly on the baronet. "To be sure, if your coming back to England was as unexpected to you as it was to us, your plans might well be a bit . . . undigested!"

"Why, as to that, I doubt if there was any moment during my absence when I did not cherish the purpose of returning; and 'tis at least a year ago that the date of my departure from India was fixed. What should happen on my arrival was, indeed, another question."

"Upon the whole, you know," said Sir Francis, crossing one leg over the other, and caressing his shapely thigh, "I rather wonder at your having remained so faithful to us. You were well enough placed in India, I suppose? Seems to me I'd have stayed there. What could you expect to find over here? One's acquaintances get pretty much used up in twenty years."

"I acted according to my feeling, as every one will do who acts freely. Considerations had weight with me that might not have affected another in my place."

"Ah, I understand. The Marquise, eh? Parental affection, and all that! Well, does the Marquise reciprocate?"

The baronet's tone was somewhat strained in saying this, and his countenance wore a smile that was anxious and perfunctory rather than spontaneous and genial. But Mr. Grant appeared not to notice the alteration.

"I can't say I have been disappointed," he replied; "perhaps because I expected little. The little girl I left in your care has grown up to be a woman of the world, wealthy and fashionable, and naturally not much given to sentiment. She has fascination, ambition, and strong common sense she is adventurous, quickwitted, and independent. I perceived the germ of these traits in her long ago; but I also saw or so I fancied-a passionate and generous heart, which I believed would counterbalance whatever was dangerous in her other qualities. Doubtless it was this hope which partly influenced my determination to return to England."

"Ah! a passionate and generous heart. . . well! And may

I enquire whether the lady fulfils your anticipations in that particular?"

Mr. Grant did not at once reply; but after a while, with his eyes turned thoughtfully on the turf, he said slowly, "Making due allowance for accidents and circumstances, I don't think my estimate of Perdita was a mistaken one."

"Accept my congratulations then," rejoined Sir Francis, with a short and somewhat heavy laugh. Presently he added, "I am to understand, then, that in order to gain the sympathy of this passionate and generous heart, you have not spared the reputation. of the lady's foster-father?"

Mr. Grant looked up quickly and keenly. "I made no such insinuation," said he.

"But you can't deny the fact?" rejoined the baronet sharply. After a short silence Mr. Grant said, "I am not concerned either to deny or admit it."

"Well, well, you're quite right; there's no use disputing about it. And Fillmore-another sympathetic confidant, I presume?"

"As a man of business, I found Mr. Fillmore everything I could wish."

"Ah! and who is to be next? I'm interested to know, you see, which are the persons who are henceforth to behold me in my true colours. Or perhaps you intend to be impartial in your favours, and publish the matter broadcast?" Sir Francis said all this with a kind of ghastly jocosity. "I want to hear just what I'm to expect, you know. That's no more than fair, eh?"

"Does it not occur to you, Frank," said the other, turning fully towards him, while the colour rose in his face, "that what you are saying is extremely offensive? Has my past conduct towards you given you any grounds to adopt this tone to me? You try my temper, sir! I . . . . I shall not, however, allow myself to be angry." By a manifest effort he in fact controlled his rising heat, and constrained himself to an austere coldness.

As for the baronet, he appeared not to wish to provoke his guest any further. Either he was afraid of him—and there was a stern fire at the heart of the uniformly serene old gentleman which did not altogether encourage wanton experiment-or else there were other reasons why he desired rather to conciliate than to irritate him. "I expressed myself clumsily, Charles," he said; "'pon my honour, I meant nothing insulting. But, you see, a man wants to know how he stands-where he's to look for his enemies, and where for his friends. Now, we're not going to rake up the old matter

between us, eh? For good or bad, that's done with. The wrong that was done can't be mended now; you can't mend it, nor can I ; I would if I could, in a moment. Time has arranged things after its own fashion. I did whatever I could for the wife and child, didn't I? I stuck to Perdita till she got a good husband; and then it was she left me, not I her. You . . . . well, you made your way in the world; and perhaps, if all were known, you're in a better position to-day than you would have been if all this had never occurred. But your turning up so unexpectedly has put a new face on the affair-eh?"

"In what manner ? "

"Why, in this way-but you mustn't mind my speaking out: we know each other well enough not to stand too much on ceremony, I suppose?"

"Say on, sir."

"I understand human nature as well as most men-I ought to, after my experience—and I don't expect too much of it--not even of you, my dear Charles. I can put myself in your place, and see things in your way. Quite right and natural that you should wish Perdita to feel towards you as a daughter would wish to feel towards her father. And, of course, as to Fillmore, it might be necessary, in transacting your business with him, to enter into certain explanations for Fillmore has his crotchets, and isn't the man to go into anything he doesn't, in a certain way, approve of. But allowing all that, I must consider my own position as well. I'm compromised; and, taking into consideration my age and yours (not to mention other things), it makes me doocidly uneasy. I'm willing to believe you mean me no harm; but others might not be so considerate. I'm not half sure of Fillmore's goodwill; and as for Perdita . . . you can't trust a woman at the best of times."

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I wish to point out to you, Bendibow," interposed Mr. Grant, "that you are proceeding upon an assumption of your own. You assume that my daughter and Mr. Fillmore know our secret."

"Appearances sufficiently warrant that," said the other, with a dry laugh; "and, what is more, you have not denied it."

"No; I have neither denied nor affirmed it," returned Grant coldly.

"Quite right of you not to commit yourself. But passing that over-if you really intend me no mischief, it would relieve my mind to have some tangible proof and pledge of it."

"In the first place, have you had any occasion to suspect me of unfriendliness since my return here?"