glove with nabobs, and is to
design a large palace, and cathedral, and hospitals, colleges, halls,
and fortifications, by the general consent of the ruling powers,
Christian and Pagan alike.'

''Twas sure to come to the boy,' said Mr. Smith unassumingly.

''Tis in yesterday's St. Launce's Chronicle; and our worthy Mayor in the
chair introduced the subject into his speech last night in a masterly
manner.'

''Twas very good of the worthy Mayor in the chair I'm sure,' said
Stephen's mother. 'I hope the boy will have the sense to keep what he's
got; but as for men, they are a simple sex. Some woman will hook him.'

'Well, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, the evening closes in, and we must be going;
and remember this, that every Saturday when you come in to market, you
are to make our house as your own. There will be always a tea-cup and
saucer for you, as you know there has been for months, though you may
have forgotten it. I'm a plain-speaking woman, and what I say I mean.'

When the visitors were gone, and the sun had set, and the moon's rays
were just beginning to assert themselves upon the walls of the dwelling,
John Smith and his wife sat dawn to the newspaper they had hastily
procured from the town. And when the reading was done, they considered
how best to meet the new social requirements settling upon them,
which Mrs. Smith considered could be done by new furniture and house
enlargement alone.

'And, John, mind one thing,' she said in conclusion. 'In writing to
Stephen, never by any means mention the name of Elfride Swancourt again.
We've left the place, and know no more about her except by hearsay. He
seems to be getting free of her, and glad am I for it. It was a cloudy
hour for him when he first set eyes upon the girl. That family's been no
good to him, first or last; so let them keep their blood to themselves
if they want to. He thinks of her, I know, but not so hopelessly. So
don't try to know anything about her, and we can't answer his questions.
She may die out of his mind then.'

'That shall be it,' said John.

Chapter XXXVII

'After many days.'

Knight roamed south, under colour of studying Continental antiquities.

He paced the lofty aisles of Amiens, loitered by Ardennes Abbey, climbed
into the strange towers of Laon, analyzed Noyon and Rheims. Then he went
to Chartres, and examined its scaly spires and quaint carving then he
idled about Coutances. He rowed beneath the base of Mont St. Miche