'We are losing the best of the day, Oakleigh, if you really want any shooting,' said Hugh.

'I am ready,' answered Lord John; 'but as I understand Rose Cottage to lie on the way, we may walk back together.'

Probably,' said Hugh, 'Mrs. Kerr and her sisters will prefer going into the house to rest before walking home.'

They can answer for themselves,' rejoined Lord John, gaily; and he appealed to Ellen first, who looked uncomfortable, and left it to Norah to reply.

'I am the worst walker of the three, and I am not the least tired. And I think, Anne, you wished to get home in good time.'

Thus, then, it was settled; Lord John went back to the house to see about the guns, and Ellen for the first time found courage to address Colonel Oliphant. 'Phil is quite prepared to act as amateur gamekeeper.'

'What nonsense!' said Anne, sharply. 'It is quite out of the question that Phil should go with them. He would get into all sorts of

mischief.'

Ellen coloured and remained silent; but Hugh said, with composure, 'It would be a pity to disappoint Phil, and I will engage to keep him out of mischief. But I suppose I must obtain Mrs. Kerr's sanction.'

Norah's consent was readily given; in fact, as she said philosophically, it would be useless to, refuse anything on which Phil's mind was set,

since he was certain, sooner or later, to have his own way. Anne made no further protest; but Ellen felt that Colonel Oliphant was not in greater favour for this defiance of her authority.

Ellen was more annoyed than she had ever been before, by the nature of Lord John's attentions to her in their walk across the meadows. Once before she had been misled by a homage he always rendered to youth and beauty; but now she felt that it was no idle flirtation, and that he was hurried on by a restless desire to forget in a fresh attachment the disappointment he so keenly felt. Ellen tried to repel him; but with all her efforts, her shy reluctant smiles and timid answers were not very repulsive, and no one came to her assistance. Hugh walked between Anne and Norah in unsociable and moody silence, which must confirm any prejudice against him; and Ellen's heart swelled at the implied suspicion. He might trust me,' she thought, 'as I trust him, now and ever.'

Phil, who was on the look-out for the sportsmen, joined them on the high road; and they did not go up to the house, much to the disappointment of Kate and Clara, who were obliged to content themselves with the glimpse they could obtain of Lord John from the drawing-room window.

'And now, Anne,' said Norah, eagerly, as soon as Ellen left the room,' what do you think of our hero?'

'I like him very much,' replied Anne. 'I

cannot doubt his attachment to Ellen, and I sincerely trust he will make her happy.'

'And I like you very much,' said Norah, her eyes bright with pleasure, for speaking your mind freely and without reserve. I have every

hope that the day which makes Ellen Lady John Oakleigh will transform you into a mundane and pleasant woman.'

N

CHAPTER XXIV.

Herz, mein Herz, was soll das geben?
Was bedränget dich so sehr?
Welch ein fremdes, neues Leben!

Ich erkenne dich nicht mehr.

Weg ist alles, was du liebtest,
Weg, warum du dich betrübtest,
Weg, dein Fleiss und deine Ruh'-

Ach, wie kommst du nur dazu?

GOETHE.

TORAH had decreed that they must dine late, in order to give Lord John the opportunity of dropping in whenever he was so inclined; for her confidence in the ardour of his attachment did not go so far as to assume that he could forego a late dinner, for the pleasure of sitting beside Ellen at tea. Accordingly, the sisters were assembled at half-past six; and beginning to feel justified in wondering if any mischance had occured to Phil, when he and the two gentlemen entered the room. Anne graciously accepted Lord John's offering of game, though her attention was distracted by an indignant sense of the liberty taken by Hugh in taking possession of her own chair, and proceeding to set up a flirtation with the two little girls, who sat on either side of Ellen in white frocks and broad sashes. The general hum of talk gave Ellen courage to inform Hugh of his mistake.

'If you do not mind moving, Colonel Oliphant, that is my sister's chair.'

'I do not at all mind,' he replied, instantly rising. 'I quite approve of a vested interest in chairs, though not, as you may remember, in Which shall be mine?' he added,

square pews.

stroking Dora's short curls.

That is the visitor's chair,' said Dora, pointing to the one in which Lord John reclined.

'But since it is already occupied,' said Hugh, 'you must make room for me on the sofa;' and disengaging the child from Ellen's side, he took her place. You will be glad to hear,' he continued, that Phil behaved throughout the day with exemplary discretion.'

'He only gets into mischief when he has nothing to do,' said Ellen; and he has been rather troublesome this week. Clara's donkey was the greatest sufferer, as he has amused himself by enacting Sancho Panza.'

'So he told us; but now he says that he has a soul above asses, and I am to send the chesnut to be exercised by him to-morrow. And may I send the pony for you?'

'If it is not inconvenient,' said Ellen.

'It is very convenient,' replied Hugh; 'the pony also wants exercise.'

Ellen did not object to be reminded that Colonel Oliphant had not brought his horses to the Oaks on his own account; and she thought Lord John's interruption very ill-timed. 'Oliphant,' he said, 'are you going back to dinner? Miss Kerr is so good as to say that I may stay,