hat she should
have done was glorify herself by glorifying her own line of life, not by
forsaking that line for another. Better have been admired as a governess
than shunned as a peeress, which is what she will be. But it is just the
same everywhere in these days. Young men will rather wear a black coat
and starve than wear fustian and do well.'

'One man to want such a monstrous house as that! Well, 'tis a fine
place. See, there's the carpenters' shops, the timber-yard, and
everything, as if it were a little town. Perhaps Berta may hire me for a
job now and then.'

'I always knew she would cut herself off from us. She marked for it from
childhood, and she has finished the business thoroughly.'

'Well, it is no matter, father, for why should we want to trouble her?
She may write, and I shall answer; but if she calls to see me, I shall
not return the visit; and if she meets me with her husband or any of her
new society about her, I shall behave as a stranger.'

'It will be best,' said Chickerel. 'Well, now I must move.'

However, by the sorcery of accident, before they had very far retraced
their steps an open carriage became visible round a bend in the drive.
Chickerel, with a servant's instinct, was for beating a retreat.

'No,' said Sol. 'Let us stand our ground. We have already been seen,
and we do no harm.'

So they stood still on the edge of the drive, and the carriage drew near.
It was a landau, and the sun shone in upon Lord Mountclere, with Lady
Mountclere sitting beside him, like Abishag beside King David.

Very blithe looked the viscount, for he rode upon a cherub to-day. She
appeared fresh, rosy, and strong, but dubious; though if mien was
anything, she was a viscountess twice over. Her dress was of a
dove-coloured material, with a bonnet to match, a little tufted white
feather resting on the top, like a truce-flag between the blood of noble
and vassal. Upon the cool grey of her shoulders hung a few locks of
hair, toned warm as fire by the sunshiny addition to its natural hue.

Chickerel instinctively took off his hat; Sol did the same.

For only a moment did Ethelberta seem uncertain how to act. But a
solution to her difficulty was given by the face of her brother. There
she saw plainly at one glance more than a dozen speeches would have
told--for Sol's features thoroughly expressed his intention that to him
she was to be a stranger. Her eyes flew to Chickerel, and he slightly
shoo