ht to let me be your courier, I have knocked about so
much. I thought I'd take to the road in the modern sense, when I came to
my last sou, if the poor old lord had not died. Now I am going to be a
pattern man as landlord, peer, and sportsman. Can't give up that, you
know."

"I do not see why you should."

"I see you are looking at the clock; that means I am staying too long.
You don't know how delightful it is to sit here talking to you, without
any third person to bore us."

"I don't mean to be rude, Lord de Burgh, but you see I have letters to
write for my chief."

"The deuce you have! It is too awful to see you in slavery."

"Very pleasant, easy slavery."

"So this chief of yours gives parties, receptions, at homes. Why doesn't
she ask me?"

"I am sure she would if she knew of your existence."

"Do you mean to say you have never mentioned me to her, nor enlarged
upon my many delightful and noble qualities?"

"I am ashamed to say I have not."

Lord de Burgh rose slowly and reluctantly. "Are you going to bring the
boys here?"

"No; Miss Payne has most kindly invited them to stay with her. As yet
she has not found any one to replace me. Poor little souls, I shall be
glad when their holidays are over, for I fear they are not the same joy
to Miss Payne as they are to me."

"Ah! believe me, you want some help in bringing up a couple of boys.
Just fancy what Cis will be six or seven years hence. Why, he'll play
the devil if he hasn't a strong hand over him."

"I don't believe it!" cried Katherine, smiling. "Why should he be worse
than other boys?"

"Why should he be better?"

"Well, I can but do my best for them," said Katherine with a sigh.

"I am a brute to prophesy evil, when you have enough to contend with
already," cried De Burgh, taking her hand, and looking into her eyes
with an expression she could not misunderstand.

"You must not exaggerate my troubles," returned Katherine, with a sweet
bright smile on her lips and in her eyes that thanked him for his
sympathy, even while she gently withdrew her hand.

"I wish you would let me help you," said De Burgh; and as her lips
parted to reply, he went on, hastily: "No, no; don't answer--not yet, at
least. You will only say something disagreeable, in spite of your
charming lips. Now I'll not intrude on you any longer. I suppose there
is no objection to my calling on the young gentlemen at Miss Payne's,
and taking them to a circus, or Madame Tussaud'