ender feelings as to Mab are respected, and Blanche
always takes care to invite her to a safe seat on a fat scarlet cushion
on the sofa (Mrs. Ledwich's wedding present), when the footmen with the
tea might be in danger of demolishing her. Leonard, and his fine eyes,
and his dog, were rather in fashion yesterday evening. Blanche put out
his Coombe sketches for a company trap, and people talked to him about
them, and he was set to sing with Blanche, and then with some of the
young ladies. He seemed to enjoy it, and his nice, modest,
gentlemanlike manner told. The party was not at all amiss in itself.
I had a very nice clerical neighbour, and it is a very different thing
to see and hear Hector at the bottom of the table from having poor dear
George there. But oh! only one dinner more before we see our own table
again, and Tom at the bottom of it. Hurrah! I trust this is the last
letter you will have for many a day, from

'Your loving and dutiful daughter,
'ETHELDRED MAY.'

CHAPTER VI

The XII statute remember to observe
For all the paine thou hast for love and wo
All is too lite her mercie to deserve
Thou musten then thinke wher er thou ride or go
And mortale wounds suffre thou also
All for her sake, and thinke it well besette
Upon thy love, for it maie not be bette.
--Chaucer's 'Court of Love'

'Good-bye, Leonard,' said Ethel, as the two families, after mustering
strong at the station, parted at the head of Minster Street; and as she
felt the quivering lingering pressure of his hand, she added with a
smile, 'Remember, any Saturday afternoon. And you will come for the
books.'

Glad as she was to be anchored on her father's arm, and clustered round
with rejoicing brothers and sisters, she could not be devoid of a shade
of regret for the cessation of the intimate intercourse of the last
nine weeks, and a certain desire for the continuance of the
confidential terms that had arisen. The moment's pang was lost in the
eager interchange of tidings too minute for correspondence, and in
approval of the renovation of the drawing-room, which was so skilful
that her first glance would have detected no alteration in the subdued
tones of paper, carpet, and chintz, so complete was their loyalty to
the spirit of perpetuity. Flora told no one of the pains that, among
her many cares, she had spent u