the Park about a housemaid, and actually cut Mrs. General Finch "dead"
in the village post office, owing to a mislaid visiting-card. At the
end of three years Lucilla Shafto had embroiled herself with almost
everyone in her immediate vicinity, and found her true level and most
congenial companions in the busy bustling town of Bricklands, a rapidly
growing and prosperous mushroom place, situated thirty miles south of
London, and within two miles of our ancient and respectable hamlet.
Here she belonged to several clubs, bridge, tennis and croquet; enjoyed
being a Triton among minnows; entertained a third-rate set at
"Littlecote," and joined gay little theatre parties to London to "do a
play," and return home by the last train.

Housekeeping sat but lightly on Mrs. Shafto's graceful shoulders, for
the Shaftos also possessed a family treasure named Hannah, an elderly
woman, who had been in service with "the family" and now managed the
house, and looked after the comforts and buttons of her master and his
boy.

Mr. and Mrs. Shafto went their separate ways, and were rarely to be
seen in one another's company. The lady assured her friends that her
husband's health was indifferent, and that he did not care for society;
for her part she liked amusement, excitement, life; whilst he preferred
to read, write, overlook his garden, and occasionally run up to London.
She did not trouble herself much about her son--a handsome active boy,
resembling his father in looks. Between these there undoubtedly
existed a deep affection. During the holidays they were frequently to
be met walking or riding together, and Shafto _pere_ would so far
emerge from his retirement as to be a proud spectator at cricket
matches in Tremenheere Park and elsewhere. Douglas and two of the
Tremenheere boys were schoolmates, and he was in continual request at
their home. Unfortunately these visits were displeasing to Mrs.
Shafto, as was also his intimacy with the young people at the vicarage;
and poor Douglas had an awkward part to play. He could not avoid or
drop his friends; yet, on the other hand, there were painful
difficulties with his mother, who declared that he was a mean fellow to
run after people who had _insulted_ her, and one day, when in a
towering passion, she had been overheard to scream "that he was a thorn
in her side, and a true Shafto!"

But all this time Miss Jane Tebbs remains stationed at the drawing-room
window, watching the road w