lock, which had stood in the same corner of the library
long enough to mark the hours of the births and marriages, the meetings
and partings, and death, of several generations of the Vyvyans, now
chimed in slow, subdued tones, through which ran the echo of a wail,
like the voice of a human being, who has seen much and suffered much.

"Dr. Strickland will expect me to return to him now, Cousin Anna, so I
must say 'good evening'."

"Before you go, Cecil, tell me at what time you will be ready to ride
with me to-morrow?"

"I must ask my tutor," he replied.

"Very well, you can let me know at breakfast time. I suppose you can
find your way to your part of the house, follow straight along the
corridor till you come to the south wing at the end. Your study and all
the other rooms for you and Dr. Strickland are there. Good night."

The next day the ponies were brought round to the hall door immediately
after luncheon, and the boy and girl were mounted. Cecil, whose chief
mode of locomotion had hitherto been in a palanquin, did not by any
means enjoy his present situation; but as he made no remark, his cousin
supposed he was as pleased and jubilant at having an opportunity of
seeing the beautiful surroundings of the place as she was showing them.
They rode through the park, down the long avenue of oaks and beeches,
and out by the keeper's lodge to the lake, and then away over the hill
among the scattered cottages of the peasants, who touched their hats or
curtsied as the cousins rode by. Anna always returning their salutations
with some pleasant word or nod, or an inquiry after their welfare. At
last they turned their ponies homeward. The boy all the while silent;
the girl chattering and explaining and repeating anecdotes which had
been told to her, and laughing merrily at the ludicrous passages in
them. As they were again entering the park, the boy's riding whip
slipped out of his hand and fell to the ground. Looking at his cousin
with a grave expression of face, he said,

"I have dropped my whip, what shall I do?"

"Dismount and pick it up," replied Anna.

"But I cannot," he replied, "I am afraid I could not mount again without
the groom to help me."

"Very well, then I will get it," so down she sprang, passed up the whip
to Cecil, and bounding into her saddle again was off at a canter before
the boy could say a word.

"Come along, Cecil," she cried, looking back, "come along, this is the
finest stretch of ground