"Heaven forbid!' he cried, with a pretended air of despair. It is far too attractive to permit of our losing sight of it yet awhile.'

"I accuse Mr. Panton of being a poet, my dear,' I interrupted. He has all the paraphernalia of one-tropes, similes, sentiment, passion.'

"I stand convicted,' he rejoined, but only as a voiceless singer, I possess the necessary baggage, it is true; but, alas! I have locked it away, and lost the key irrecoverably.'

"We must try to find it for him, eh, Clare?' I suggested.

'Mr. Panton seems in no pressing need of it at present,' she replied.

6 Ah!' he cried, you are unfair, Miss Denby. You forget that although opportunity be the slave of him who is prepared, it is the tyrant of the unready.'

An almost imperceptible smile played on Clare's lips. "You are like to have a useful servant then, Mr. Panton,' she said. 'Now you are sarcastic,' he rejoined, 'but I am helpless in your hands.'

Indeed, I wash them of you altogether,' she answered, rising. "The responsibility is too great.'

"That is my loss,' he said, smiling, as he opened the door for her. Not if it teach you to take better care of yourself,' she replied, with an implied meaning in her tone which I failed to understand as she swept out of the room.

I was delighted with the badinage, trivial though it had been. It at least proved that Clare was not wholly insensible to the attentions of other men, and the circumstance gave me hope for the success of my little scheme.

I had not visited Wiltshire for many years, but I still retained a vivid recollection of its beauties, the quaint old city of Salisbury, the breezy downs, and that wonderful collection known as Stonehenge. It was natural, therefore, that as Panton and I sat over our wine the conversation should revert to the principal features of that county, and the producing powers of its soil, this latter being a subject in which I take a considerable interest. I was pleased to find in my companion a kindred spirit, while, recognising my desire for information on agricultural topics, he readily cited the returns yielded him by his own property. In his manner of stating these details, which to others would probably have appeared dry and uninteresting, I discovered a singular charm and fascination; but after a little I felt that it would be selfish to keep him altogether to myself, and accordingly proposed an adjournment to the drawing-room.

On entering we found Clare seated at the piano, where Mr. Panton at once begged that she would remain. As my daughter is a finished musician, I hastened to second the request. For my own part, whether from the excitement of the day's adventures or the excellence of the dinner I know not, but no sooner had I relapsed into my easy-chair than I dropped into a pleasant slumber.

When I awoke, Clare was still at the piano, playing softly, while Panton stood near to her talking in a low voice. As I had no desire to act the part of eavesdropper-indeed, the distance at which I was rendered such a thing impossible-I gave a pre liminary yawn and commenced ostentatiously to stretch myself. 'Bless me,' I remarked, looking at my watch, 'it's getting on for eleven. How quickly the evening has passed!'

Clare rose and began to put away her music. Panton crossed to the fireplace.

6

'Time goes swiftly in the land of Nod,' he said to me, but we could have given you a long start to-night, and even then have won.'

'Mr. Panton must speak for himself,' Clare interrupted, with a slight frown.

Have I not done so ?' he rejoined rapidly. Then he laughed pleasantly, and, after an instant's pause, resumed: Possibly Miss Denby finds my views too comprehensive.'

'When they make her an involuntary party to their meaning she certainly does,' Clare answered.

"Ah!' he cried, it would be against my own interest to do so, else I should be robbed of the pleasure of convincing her that they are true.'

"Then you must take an opportunity of doing that to-morrow,' I said, getting up from my place, for I cannot afford to lose my beauty sleep for the sake of listening to two young people talking

nonsense.'

The next morning I passed, as usual, in the study, and in the afternoon, as the weather continued fine, it occurred to me that I had not seen my old friend the Squire for some time. I proposed, therefore, to ride over to the Grange and pay him a visit, and as Panton mentioned that he had letters to write, I suggested his making use of the library during my absence. In this he readily concurred, and before starting I saw him comfortably installed in my place, Clare having stated her intention of going to the village in order to make some necessary purchases.

It was close upon the dinner-hour when I returned, and, hastily dressing, I hurried downstairs. The young people were

already waiting for me, and we at once passed into the dining

room.

The evening was spent much in the same way as the previous one, but I thought I detected a sensible increase of warmth in Clare's manner towards Mr. Panton. As for him, it seemed impossible that anything should stop his flow of spirits. He talked incessantly, and, I am afraid, a great deal of nonsense.

Next day, as I sat reading in my room, he entered in his usual unceremonious fashion. I hope I don't disturb you, sir,' he said. 'Not at all,' I answered, laying down my book. Take a seat.' Thanks,' he replied, "if it's the same to you I'd rather stand. I've always more confidence in myself when I'm on my legs.'

'I should not have thought you ever failed in that,' I remarked, smiling.

'No more did I,' he answered, adding with some slight hesitation, until I came here.'

'Ah, you have caught the infection. We are too modest for you go-ahead young London fellows.'

'No,' he replied reflectively, 'it's not that. Take your daughter, for instance. I'm devilish impudent to her--almost rude at times, and yet it never seems to make any impression.'

6

'Perhaps you don't want to make an impression,' I suggested. "Oh, but I do,' he continued, with curious frankness. You'll excuse me mentioning it, but Miss Denby is a deucedly attractive girl.'

'I think it was yourself who first hinted that she took her intellectual qualities from her father,' I said a little maliciously.

He shook his head gravely. 'No,' he replied, 'I detect a difference. She's got a most original mind of her own. Do you know, sir,' he proceeded, without any alteration in his voice, 'I'm afraid I'm falling in love.'

Talk of originality-here certainly was an example with a vengeance. One might have thought I was a perfect stranger to the lady in question, so unconcernedly did my guest announce to me the state of his feelings for her. I will not say that the declaration was displeasing, but I reflected that it would not be consonant with my dignity to surrender at the first assault.

'You forget that I am her father,' I observed somewhat stiffly. 'Oh no, I don't,' he answered, that's why I come to you.' "Well?' I continued inquiringly.

'I was anxious to learn in what light the fact would strike you.'

You mean as regards an engagement between my daughter and yourself??

"Yes,' he answered, 'I suppose you might put it in that way.'

It certainly was a strange mode of proposing to become my son-in-law, but after all the end justified the means. My dear Panton,' I said, 'you must remember that our acquaintance has been short, and I should have, of course, to be assured that you are in a position to keep a wife. But, otherwise, I do not know any one whom I would welcome more gladly as Clare's husband.'

Then if I satisfy you on that point, there is no obstacle to my trying my luck?'

'None whatever,' I answered, deeming it unnecessary to allude to the Brown episode. You have my full consent, and I can only trust that you will be equally fortunate in winning Clare's.'

"Thank you,' was his reply; 'I fancy if you'll excuse me I'll go into the garden now and smoke a cigar. Perhaps I may hit on some likely plan for obtaining that during the process.'

'Certainly, my boy, do as you think best,' I rejoined. And so this remarkable interview came to a close.

My little scheme was, then, a success so far. After all, your elever people are not difficult to circumvent if one goes about the business properly. The very simplicity of my project, I said to myself, was probably the chief reason that it prospered so well. A less single-minded man than myself would almost certainly have ruined all by too great zeal, but the unobtrusive manner in which I pulled the wires was, I felt, in the spirit of the highest diplomacy.

It was true that I had still to deal with Clare, and in her respect I could not have the same certainty which Panton's announcement had created as regards himself. Nevertheless, I was not without hope that the latter's powers of persuasion would eventually prevail.

Panton's communication had been made on the Wednesday, and in the meantime I considered it as well not to recur to the subject. He was not, I was convinced, a man to let the grass grow under his feet, and my wisest policy was evidently to await the outcome of events.

On Saturday I informed my guest at luncheon that I had to ask his indulgence for my absence until dinner-time, as I always devote that afternoon to the preparation of the next day's discourse. But I added that Clare would doubtless prove an efficient substitute—an assertion which I was pleased to observe neither of the young people seemed anxious to dispute.

As it happened, the sermon I selected was one which I already knew pretty nearly by rote, and consequently little more than an hour's study sufficed to put me at my ease with it. As I closed

the manuscript it occurred to me that it might be interesting to find out, in an informal sort of way, how the two were amusing themselves, and so gently opening the study door I stole noiselessly on tiptoe towards the drawing-room.

On looking in I found that it was untenanted, but I thought I could detect the murmur of voices proceeding from the adjoining conservatory. With characteristic playfulness I crept cautiously to the entrance and peeped in.

Clare and the stranger were seated on an ottoman with their backs turned towards me. But this did not prevent me from seeing—indeed, it rather helped to show-that Panton's arm was round my daughter's waist, and that their heads were very close to each other. Although out of simple delight at the scene before me I strained every nerve to hear what they were saying, unfortunately I could only catch an indistinct word here and there.

My joy at the discovery was such that I could scarcely refrain from calling out. Only with a considerable effort, indeed, did I succeed in stifling my feelings; but when I again found myself safely within the library, with no one at hand to watch me, I felt it impossible to restrain them longer.

I sat down in my chair and rubbed my hands gleefully together, while, as I thought of Brown's discomfiture, peal after peal of laughter followed in quick succession. To think that I, of all people the most guileless and ingenuous, should have outwitted this crafty schemer! The idea was too exquisite.

When at last I had sufficiently regained my composure, I once more proceeded towards the drawing-room, on this occasion, however, being careful to give due warning of my coming. As I expected, on reaching the conservatory, I found Clare alone on the couch, while Panton stood a little apart from her.

'Well, young folks,' I said, 'I hope you've enjoyed yourselves.' 'Perfectly,' returned Panton, in a tone conveying that for his part he could have gone on doing so in the same way for some time further.

'And how have you amused each other?' I asked.

'I have been teaching Miss Denby a new game,' he replied. "Ah,' I said, and what is that?'

"I call it "Question and Answer;" and really it's amazingly simple, although your daughter seemed at first to have some difficulty in understanding it. It is usual for two to play, and the interest is increased when they are of different sexes.'

'Indeed,' I interrupted, placing my hand on Clare's shoulder, 'and what then?'

'The gentleman, as a rule, begins, although I've heard of cases