The tall trees gave grateful shelter, baffling
the sun's warm rays; the golden corn stood in the broad fields ready
for the sickle; the hedge-rows were filled with flowers. The beech
trees in the park were in full perfection. Fruit hung ripe and heavy in
the orchards. It was no longer the blossoming promise of spring, but
the perfect glory of summer.

For many long years Earlescourt had not been so gay. The whole
country-side rang with fashionable intelligence. The house was filled
with visitors, Lord Airlie heading the list. Lionel Dacre, thinking
but little of the time when the grand old place would be his own, was
full of life and spirits.

Long arrears of hospitalities and festivities had to be repaid to the
neighborhood. Beatrice and Lillian had to make their debut there.
Lady Helena decided upon commencing the programme with a grand dinner
party, to be followed by a ball in the evening. Ronald said something
about the weather being warm for dancing.

"We danced in London, papa," said Beatrice, "when the heat was so great
that I should not have felt any surprise if the whole roomful of people
had dissolved. Here we have space--large, cool rooms, fresh air, a
conservatory as large as a London house; it will be child's play in
comparison with what we have gone through."

"Miss Earle is quite right," said Lord Airlie. "A ball during the
season in London is a toil; here it would be nothing but a pleasure."

"Then a ball let it be," said Lord Earle. "Lillian, make out a list of
invitations, and head it with Sir Harry and Lady Laurence of Holtham
Hall. That reminds me, their eldest son, Gaspar, came home yesterday
from Germany; do not forget to include him."

"Little Gaspar," cried Lady Helena--"has he returned? I should like to
see him."

"Little Gaspar," said Lord Earle, laughing, "is six feet high now,
mother. You forget how time flies; he is taller than Lionel, and a
fine, handsome young fellow he is. He will be quite an acquisition."

Lord Earle was too much engrossed to remark the uneasiness his few
words had caused. Lord Airlie winced at the idea of a rival a handsome
man, and sentimental, too, as all those people educated in Germany are!

"I can not understand what possesses English people to send their sons
abroad for education," he said to Beatrice--"and to Germany of all
places in the world."

"Why should they not?" she asked.

"The people are so absurdly sentimental," he replied. "