art of making the driest subject interesting. I should like to hear him speak in Parliament.'

I am not at all sure that he will find a seat; he has very little local interest. I have sometimes thought of going into Parliament,' said Sir Harry.

'Have you?' said Thomasina, mentally resolving that the debates in which Sir Harry was likely to take part were not those which she would wish to attend. Edward Noel returned and dispossessed his cousin of his vantage ground with cool audacity.

'Why, Harry, you have got my chair. There was another paper which I wished Miss Bertram to read-not a long one. I daresay that you have had nearly enough of the subject?'

'No, indeed,' said Thomasina; 'I am ready to go on all night.'

Sir Harry could only accept his dismissal

and transfer his attentions elsewhere.

As he

sauntered away he was quite ready to agree with his mother and sisters in their estimate of Edward Noel. He was conceited, overbearing, and supercilious, and it would be long before he received another invitation to Ashleigh Court.

Thomasina had thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Her heart was, and should remain, loyal to Robin; but she was conscious that the homage of a man of admitted ability and high culture gratified the intellectual cravings of her nature. Of course there were intelligent, sensible men in their circle of acquaintance. Sir Harry himself was sensible, and there was a world of contempt implied in this admission. But men who could talk, who could skim the surface of things, or could exhaust their depths, as seemed good to them, who could speak in epigrams or with an eloquent glow of words, such men had not

hitherto come within the range of her experience. She lay awake half the night in the same sort of mental excitement which is felt by some young people after a ball or a play, and she rose early, not to read the Blue Book, but to write down in her diary some of those incisive sayings which had most caught her fancy.

Want of sleep did not make Thomasina dull and heavy-eyed, and candle-light was not needed to give brilliancy to her beauty, for the smooth roundness of youth and bright, fresh colouring of perfect health must have given a charm to far homelier features. Fortune favoured Sir Harry at the breakfast table, and Thomasina found a place at his side, while Noel was forced to content himself with the conversation of his insipid cousins. Sir Harry was urgent with Thomasina to name the object of the afternoon drive, for which he said that he should make

a point of returning, although he must shoot with the other gentlemen before luncheon; and Thomasina was equally resolute in disclaiming any special preference, although she said that she should be delighted to go wherever Lady Camden liked to take her.

'There is the Roman camp,' said Sir Harry; it must be quite out of your neighbourhood at the Chase.'

'Yes,' said Thomasina, with polite indifference; I shall be very glad to see it.'

How can you say so, Miss Bertram?' said Noel, glancing across the table with a smile; I see that you dread an archæological lecture.'

'If anyone is likely to be as tedious as the Antiquary, of course I would rather stay at home,' replied Thomasina. • When I went through my course of Waverley Novels, my father was too conscientious to spare me a line of the disputes between Sir Arthur and

Monkbarns, although he was as much bored. with them as I was. Ever since the name of a Roman encampment has made me shiver.'

'We will go somewhere else then,' said Sir Harry; 'you and my mother must settle it and make all arrangements for riding or driving. Will you shoot, Edward, or walk with us if you do not care to shoot?'

'No, thank you,' said Edward; 'I will reserve myself for the afternoon.'

'If you have letters to write, you will find all that you want in the library.'

'Thank you,' Edward said again; 'I will take care of myself.'

And he did take care of himself after the manner deprecated by his cousins, for he established himself in the drawing-room and took up a newspaper. The other gentlemen went out shooting. Lady Camden disappeared after a while, and the young ladies invited Thomasina into their boudoir; but