ed,
when she bounded back to him, and clinging to his arm exclaimed, so
that he alone could hear, 'Oh, I am glad you are come! It was too like
enchanted ground!'

'So you like it,' said Arthur, smiling.

'I did not know there could be anything so beautiful! I thought the
pleasure-ground finer than anything--so much grander than Lord St.
Erme's; but this! Did you keep it to the last to surprise me!'

'I forgot it,' said Arthur, laughing to see her look shocked. 'It is not
in my line. The natives never have any sport out of a show-place.'

'It is simply a bore,' said Theodora, 'a self-sacrifice to parade.'

'To the good of visitors,' replied Miss Gardner, smiling, to Violet,
who, fearing her own admiration was foolish, was grateful to hear her
say, 'And in that capacity you will allow Mrs. Martindale and me to
enjoy.'

'Did not I bring you to make the grand tour!' said Theodora. 'Come,
prepare to be stifled. Here are all the zones up to the equator,' and
she led the way into the conservatory.

Arthur's protection and his satisfaction in Violet's pleasure set her at
ease to enter into all the wonders and beauties; but he did not know one
plant from another, and referred all her inquiries to his sister, who
answered them in a cold matter-of-fact way that discouraged her from
continuing them, and reduced her to listening to the explanations
elicited by Jane Gardner, until a new-comer met them, thus greeted
by Arthur--'Ah! here is the authority! Good morning, Harrison. Mrs.
Martindale wants to know the name of this queer striped thing.'

He bowed politely, and Violet, as she bent and smiled, supposed they
were too familiar for the hand-shake, while he went on to name the
plant and exhibit its peculiarities. Her questions and remarks seemed
to please him greatly, and while he replied graciously with much curious
information, he cut spray after spray of the choicest flowers and
bestowed them upon her, so that when the tour was completed, and
he quitted them, she said, with smiling gratitude, 'It is the most
exquisite bouquet I ever saw.'

'A poor thing, 'was the proud humility answer, 'but honoured by such
hands!'

'Well done, Harrison!' ejaculated Arthur, as soon as he was out of
ear-shot.

'Who is he?' asked Violet, still blushing; then, as the truth dawned on
her, 'can he be the gardener? I thought him some great botanist allowed
to study here.'

'Pray tell Miss Piper, Theodora,' said Arthur. 'If it goes roun