pe-houses in
turn.

"Do you think they will come?" whispered Beatrice, who looked rather
flushed; but certainly the day was hot.

"She said they would. Dear me, how strange of Henry!"

The vicar had gone into the paddock, and, after raising his hat
politely, was standing talking to Hazel at intervals between saying a
few words to the boys and girls--words, by the way, which they did not
wish to hear, for every eye was turned as if by a magnet towards the
great tent, and the man and maidservants and assistants constantly going
to and fro.

"Here they are at last," exclaimed Miss Lambent. "I told you so. Now,
Beatrice, what do you say?"

"Nothing," replied her sister quietly.

"Then I say something. George Canninge wouldn't have come here to a
children's school feast unless he had expected to meet some one
particular."

The object of their conversation had just helped a tall, handsome lady,
with perfectly white hair, to descend from a phaeton drawn by a splendid
pair of bays. He was a broad-shouldered, sparely-made man of about
thirty, with dark, closely-cut whiskers--beards were an abomination
then--and keen grey eyes, which took in the whole scene at a glance,
and, what was more, to find satisfaction as he took off and replaced his
grey felt hat, and then, from habit, took out a white handkerchief and
dusted his glossy boots.

"How absurd, mother! Thought I'd been walking," he said. "Bravo,
Burge! He's doing it well. Hang it mother! I like that fellow."

"It's a pity, dear, that he is so vulgar."

"Oh, I don't know. He's frank and honesty and don't pretend to be
anything more that what he is--a successful tradesman. Never saw a man
less of a snob. Oh, there are the Lambents. I say, who's the lady
talking to the parson?"

"I don't know, my dear," said Mrs Canninge, "unless it is the new
schoolmistress."

"Nonsense: can't be. Oh, here's Burge! How are you, Burge? Glad
you've got such a fine day for your treat."

"So am I, Mr Canninge, so am I. Thank you for coming, sir. Thank you
for coming too, ma'am. My sister is up by the house, and there's lunch
in the dining-room, and you'll excuse me, won't you! I have such heaps
to do."

"Excuse you, of course. And I say, Burge, your going to give the
youngsters some fun, I hope?"

"Fun, sir? I mean to let them have a jolly good lark."

"Don't let Lambent get them together and preach at the poor little
beggars."

Mr William Forth Burg