ip, almost in an
hysterical fit of joy; and then she hugged and kissed him as she had
never kissed and hugged her own son since that son had first left the
parent nest.

Frank bore it patiently and with a merry laugh. "But, Lady
Scatcherd," said he, "what will they all say? you forget I am a man
now," and he stooped his head as she again pressed her lips upon his
forehead.

"I don't care what none of 'em say," said her ladyship, quite going
back to her old days; "I will kiss my own boy; so I will. Eh, but
Master Frank, this is good of you. A sight of you is good for sore
eyes; and my eyes have been sore enough too since I saw you;" and she
put her apron up to wipe away a tear.

"Yes," said Frank, gently trying to disengage himself, but not
successfully; "yes, you have had a great loss, Lady Scatcherd. I was
so sorry when I heard of your grief."

"You always had a soft, kind heart, Master Frank; so you had. God's
blessing on you! What a fine man you have grown! Deary me! Well, it
seems as though it were only just t'other day like." And she pushed
him a little off from her, so that she might look the better into his
face.

"Well. Is it all right? I suppose you would hardly know me again now
I've got a pair of whiskers?"

"Know you! I should know you well if I saw but the heel of your
foot. Why, what a head of hair you have got, and so dark too! but it
doesn't curl as it used once." And she stroked his hair, and looked
into his eyes, and put her hand to his cheeks. "You'll think me an
old fool, Master Frank: I know that; but you may think what you like.
If I live for the next twenty years you'll always be my own boy; so
you will."

By degrees, slow degrees, Frank managed to change the conversation,
and to induce Lady Scatcherd to speak on some other topic than his
own infantine perfections. He affected an indifference as he spoke of
her guest, which would have deceived no one but Lady Scatcherd; but
her it did deceive; and then he asked where Mary was.

"She's just gone out on her donkey--somewhere about the place. She
rides on a donkey mostly every day. But you'll stop and take a bit of
dinner with us? Eh, now do 'ee, Master Frank."

But Master Frank excused himself. He did not choose to pledge himself
to sit down to dinner with Mary. He did not know in what mood they
might return with regard to each other at dinner-time. He said,
therefore, that he would walk out and, if possible, find Miss Thorne;
and that