moment, and then I will stand as still as possible. I'm sure it's Mr. Newton; I think I hear him.'

'Mr. Newton will do very well without you for a minute or two. I don't suppose he is come all this way to see you. There, now wash your hands.'

'It is the dogcart,' shouted Dick, making a plunge to the window on his way to the washing-stand. I believe it is now going to the station. Oh, do let me go down, Babette, and ask papa to take me with him.' But Babette was inexorable. There were certain things for which she alone was responsible, and she knew very well that any dereliction from duty in the shape of untidy hair or dirty hands would be visited upon her, and upon her alone. So the self-willed little fellow was obliged for once to give in, and submit with composure to ceremonies strangely repugnant to ten years old.

At last the wheels of the dogcart were heard again. This time, before Babette could speak, Dick was out of the room, and down

G

the stairs, jumping two steps at a time, and the last bound into the hall was just made as the stranger entered it.

'Hallo Dick! as turbulent as ever!' he said, as he caught the little fellow's hand and allowed himself to be led into the breakfastroom, where there was a steaming fragrance of coffee, and a table covered after the fashion of an English breakfast. Why, what a big boy you are getting! you grow every time I see you.'

I want to be big,' said Dick drawing himself up, as his thoughts reverted to Babette and her thraldom.

‘Well, Harry, I am very glad to see you,' said Mr. Stanley coming in. It is very good of you to come to this dull out-of-the-way place. You will be glad of breakfast, I am sure. The ladies will be down directly.'

As he spoke, the door opened and Nesta entered. There was a train of little ones round her; Alice, more shy than was her wont, followed her behind, and Gerty and Ernie held her hand tightly; she was in a

white morning dress, with a simple band of blue round her waist, and her dark hair was fastened with the same colour. Altogether she had a sort of light cloudy look as she came in, and Harry Newton thought he had never seen her so pretty before. She would have done for a group of St. Ursula and her maidens. There was a good deal of talking and welcoming. Nesta brought her sister's excuses that she should not be down to breakfast, and then took her place in pouring out the coffee.

The little ones had had their bread and milk upstairs, so they had no real share in the meal; Gerty and Ernie squatted themselves on each side of Tante Nesta, to be safe from observation under the folds of her dress, and to receive certain tit-bits which she was sure to bestow on them. Alice, with the propriety of nine years old, took her storybook and sat in the window on a small chair of her own property; and Dick, to whom a new comer was always acceptable, contrived to instal himself between Mr. Newton and

his father, now and then venturing to interpose a word in the conversation.

'I hope you are going to stay a long, long time,' said Dick, who had been condemned to silence by an earnest discussion between the two gentlemen. His imagination had meanwhile been picturing sundry pleasures in which Mr. Newton would be available, and he had just arrived at a consciousness of his desire that the visit should be indefinitely prolonged.

And what do you call a long time?' said Newton.

'Oh, months and months! And will you do things with us, and not let papa take you away all the time? Babette says I'm to be quiet, because haven't come all this way to see us; I know that, of course, but you will do some things with us, won't you?'

you

Harry Newton wished the little chatterbox would come to an end of Babette's revelations, but he could not refrain from casting a glance at Nesta, to see what effect the child's words had produced. Nesta was

in the act of putting the sugar and cream into her brother-in-law's coffee, and seemed thinking of nothing beyond it; she looked very pretty pouring the cream from the classically-formed silver jug, but Newton wished she were a little less silent, and he felt half jealous of the loving notice bestowed on the babies at her feet.

He scarcely himself knew the object of his visit; he was going back to England, and he wanted to come and see them all once more, on his way through Germany. To see them all? Perhaps so; he was very fond of his old college friend, and he liked his wife and children, Dick especially; but there was one more than any whom he wanted to see. And yet the vision of her that haunted his mind was not realised when he was in her presence. Away from her, he recalled her good-bye, and the small pressure of her hand as he had held it, and something altogether more cordial than the notice he met with now. As she had appeared to him in his dreams ever since, he had pictured her talk