"He has understood me," she thought. "She is old enough to be her mother's grandmother," thought he.

Then tea was brought; and Hugh and Lesbia came in; and Mrs. Dobree arrived; and Mr. Dalrymple regretted that he had an engagement in Stockton which would prevent his spending the evening at Monkshill, as Mrs. Dobree suggested.

Hugh remained, and the young people were very merry together. When he wished them good-night, Ella loudly lamented the breaking up of their party, and bewailed Lesbia's return to Berrylands. "But it has been a nice, cozy last evening," she said, as she laid her hand in her cousin's: "just like old times, but all the richer for Lesbia."

"Dear Ella!" said Lesbia.

"Dear Ella!" thought Hugh, wishing to kiss her.

VOL. I.

"Dear Ella!" said her mother, saying what the others said and thought, and kissing her softly on her sweet cheek.

She could be so gracious and SO graceful when she chose. Why did she choose so seldom? And why had she chosen on this particular night? That was more than H Hugh Dobree could satisfactorily answer to himself, as he rode back into Stockton by the light of the pale March moon.

As for Ella, she ran up to bed, and undressed, and unbound her ruddy brown hair, and danced down the corridor into Lesbia's room, and capered round her friend, laughing and singing and full of fantastic antics. Lesbia looked at her with astonished eyes.

"Couldn't I dance John Baptist's head off, Lesbia? Look!" and she held out her long, brown tresses like wings, and

skipped gracefully about the room with

bare white feet.

"Ella!" cried Lesbia, bewildered.

"Jephtha's daughter danced-David

"But why of freedom? Do I know why ?"

"I doubt it. Tell me if you do." "You don't be angry-but you said I might guess. You are so happy that you must dance and sing. You love Mr. Dalrymple, and he has told you he loves you."

"Wrong, wrong, O Sapientia!

That

would not be freedom, but bondage and

brick-making. The truth is

I care for nobody, no not I,
And nobody cares for me.'

Every one cares for you, Ella."

Perhaps. But that remains to be
Meanwhile I think I'll Get me

proved.

to a nunnery,"" and she kissed Lesbia once again, and with streaming hair, departed, singing as she went off, "the charm of woven paces and of and of waving

hands."

CHAPTER XVI.

THE NARROW PATH.

He came

THERE had come a very quiet season to Berrylands after that. Mrs. Dobree and Ella had gone to London, and Mr. Hamilton had also migrated to his bachelor apartments in St. James's. home not less than once a week, and would then stay a few days. On these occasions he would usually bring some of his men friends with him, and they would always go away enchanted with Mr. Hamilton's domestic arrangements. Perfect comfort, excellent cookery, a prudent woman to manage his household, a lovely girl to grace his establishment. Every social pleasure, every domestic joy, and none of the bore and ennui of