than the children and the governess, Mr Bradshaw determined
to make up for it by extra attention during the remainder of the day.
Accordingly he never left Mr Donne. Whatever wish that gentleman
expressed, it was the study of his host to gratify. Did he hint at
the pleasure which a walk in such beautiful scenery would give him,
Mr Bradshaw was willing to accompany him, although at Eccleston it
was a principle with him not to take any walks for pleasure on a
Sunday. When Mr Donne turned round, and recollected letters which
must be written, and which would compel him to stay at home, Mr
Bradshaw instantly gave up the walk, and remained at hand, ready to
furnish him with any writing-materials which could be wanted, and
which were not laid out in the half-furnished house. Nobody knew
where Mr Hickson was all this time. He had sauntered out after Mr
Donne, when the latter set off for church, and he had never returned.
Mr Donne kept wondering if he could have met Ruth--if, in fact, she
had gone out with her pupils, now that the afternoon had cleared
up. This uneasy wonder, and a few mental imprecations on his host's
polite attention, together with the letter-writing pretence, passed
away the afternoon--the longest afternoon he had ever spent; and
of weariness he had had his share. Lunch was lingering in the
dining-room, left there for the truant Mr Hickson; but of the
children or Ruth there was no sign. He ventured on a distant inquiry
as to their whereabouts.

"They dine early; they are gone to church again. Mrs Denbigh was a
member of the Establishment once; and, though she attends chapel at
home, she seems glad to have an opportunity of going to church."

Mr Donne was on the point of asking some further questions about "Mrs
Denbigh," when Mr Hickson came in, loud-spoken, cheerful, hungry, and
as ready to talk about his ramble, and the way in which he had lost
and found himself, as he was about everything else. He knew how to
dress up the commonest occurrence with a little exaggeration, a few
puns, and a happy quotation or two, so as to make it sound very
agreeable. He could read faces, and saw that he had been missed;
both host and visitor looked moped to death. He determined to devote
himself to their amusement during the remainder of the day, for he
had really lost himself, and felt that he had been away too long on a
dull Sunday, when people were apt to get hypped if not well amused.

"It is really a shame to be indo