l?" asked Phillis, as Nan and

ut on their hats, and, regardless of the evening dews and their crisp white dresses, would saunter, under Dick's

s all very well for Phillis to say Dick was Dick, and there was an end of it. After all, he belonged to the phalanx of her enemies, those shadowy invaders of her hearth that threatened her maternal peace. Dick was

lls, and to turn over in her own mind various wary

matter," she murmured to herself, as

ssing her lightly over her eyes. This was just one of the pleasant fictions at the

also conscious that nothing would displease her mother more than to notice this habit. When they lingered in-doors, and talked in whispers s

not time for Dorothy to bring in the tea? I wish you would all talk louder

and the sisterly chit-chat would recommence, and her mother's

branched off into a long country road, where the air blew freshly in their faces and low mists hung over the meadow land. Though it

the middle, with Nan beside him. Dulce was hanging on to her ar

"Think of spending three whole months

n should accompany them, but Mrs. Challoner had regarded the invitation with some disfavor, and Mrs. Mayn

ntains and glaciers are all very well in their way; but I think, on the whole, I would as soon be here. You see, I

ut she spoke gently: in her heart she knew w

ued, 16 wrathfully. The rogue had fairly bullied th

the dear good soul, who was secretly jealous of Nan, and loved her about as much as mothers usually love an only son's choice, had bewailed her hard fate in

ether," Nan's mother had said. "If it were only

like a housekeeper dressed in her mistress's smart clothes. Mrs. Mayne's dresses never seemed to belong to her; it could not be said

was a decided contrast: he was a small, wiry man, with sharp features that expressed a great deal of shrewdness. Dick had got his sandy hair; but Richard Mayne the elder had

way and that he himself had been the sole architect of his fortune. "Look at Dick," he would say; "he would never have a penny, that fellow, unless I made it for him: he has come

n of money-making was abhorrent to him; the idea of a city life, with its hard rubs and drudgery, was utterly distasteful to him. "One would have to mix with such a lot of cads," he w

was both proud and fond 17 of him, and was given to assert to a few of his closest friends "that, ta

er daughter's acceptance of the invitation, Mrs. Mayne had r

ed, delighted to have had Nan with us" (oh, Mrs. Mayne, fie for shame! when

t. It was the first time since her husband's death that she had ever decided anything without referenc

oung. Richard was only saying the other night that he hoped the boy would not fancy hi

daughters to entangle herself with so young a man. We know the world too well for that, Mrs. May

her own youth,-waiting for what? For comforts that she would gladly have done without,-for a well-furnished house, when she would have lived happily in the poorest lodging

work in single than double harness just now." That was what he said to her, and Bessie waited,-not till she grew thin, but st

ichard was not dearer to her than his father; which was ungrateful, to say the least of it, as Mr. Mayne doted on his comely wife, and thou

belonged to a good old family, found it hard to forgive the Maynes' lowliness of birth; and though she liked Dick, she thought Nan

s, he was forever dealing sly hits at her. "Phillis has the brains of the family," he would say: "that is the girl for my money. I call her a vast deal better looking than Nan, thoug

ek they would not see him until Christmas,-nearly six months. A sense of dreariness, as new as it was strange, swept momentarily over Nan as she pondered this. The summer mon

Fitzroy Lodge, Dick was sure to put in an appearance. People had nicknamed him the "Challoners' Squire;" but now Nan must g

e when youth is most bashful and uninteresting,-a sort of unfledged manhood, when the smooth boyish cheek contradicts the deepen

Alfred Mostyn, who was also somewhat attractive and a very pleasant fellow, and unattached at present, had a tiresome ha

ust nearly have finished her nap, so I propose we go back and have some tea;" and, as Nan languidly acquiesced they turned the

ish we could have l

girls; and Nan added, "I never enjoyed anything so much i

other was, to be sur

the time we were away. Dorothy gave us q

e's life," observed Phillis, quite solemnly;

ot his friends, had so worked upon his mother that she had consented to chaperon the three sisters during

ht, found roomy lodgings in the High Street,

y young creatures. No wonder envious looks were cast at Dick as he walked in Christ Church

sn't fair on other folk." And to Dick they said, "Come, it is no use being so awfully close. Of course we see what's up: you are a lucky d

s favorite brogue. "Here's the top of the morning to ye, Mayne; and it is mavourneen with the bro

usted voice. "What is the good of your pretending to

ture because he admires a wee gairl that is just beyond the la

l you leave of

ing me the skene-dhu, or I will fight with proud-swords like a gentleman 20 for the bit lassie;" but here a wary mo

elves with the zest of healthy, happy English girls. They were simply inde

w at Worcester; Sunday afternoon found them in the Broad Walk

alk became known to them, and the gardens of St. John's. Phillis talked learnedly about Cardinal Wolsey as she

her alarmed, to their faithful escort Di

k said,

of those fellows up ther

grew more

room, when all his special friends were bidden to five o'clock

seats, where one could look down into the quadrangle. Dick was

given; but then, as Dick said afterwards, "he was such a soft-hearted beg

tended by that rogue Hamilton and half a dozen more. Nan was the centre of another clique, who hemmed her and the tea-table i

en the door opened and the scout made

he led us to expect. Put down that tea, Miss Challoner. I see iced claret-cup and strawberries in the corner. There is nothing like being an only child; doting parents are extremely 2

ys so longed for a brother. If it had not been for D

opted brother!" observed her compa

d tease him, and send him on our errands;" which intelligence fairly convinced t

efully Nan had fulfilled her duties! how pretty she had looked, in spite o

they knew it; and then Dick astonished them by refusing to come in. He had quite forgotten, he

ar too readily, as he thought; but she said "Good-night!" with so kind a

door was closed, and then he raced down the Lo

m; and, on receiving an answer in the affirmative, he dashed unceremoniously

now you have spoiled you father's nap

yes. "I was not asleep, I will take my oath of that; only I wish Dick could sometimes enter a room without making people