de."

"A libel! a libel! But there is [in a still lower whisper] a
_sociable_."

"A what?"

"A sociable."

"Do you mean a tricycle?"

"Yes--for two."

"Oho!" said Eugene, gently chuckling.

"Wouldn't it be fun?"

"On the road?"

"N--no, perhaps not; round the park."

"Hush! S'death! if Kate saw us! Where is she?"

"I saw her last with Mr. Haddington."

"In the scheme of creation everything has its use," replied Eugene
tranquilly. "Haddington supplies a felt want."

"Be quiet. But will you?"

"Yes; come along. Be swift and silent."

"I must go and put on an old frock."

"All right; be quick."

"What is the use?" Eugene pondered; "I can't have her, and Stafford may
as well--if he will. Will he, I wonder? And would she? Oh, Lord! what a
nuisance they are! By Jove! I should like to see Kate's face if she
spots us."

A few minutes later the strange and unedifying sight of Lady Claudia
Territon and Mr. Lane, mounted on a very rickety old "sociable,"
presented itself to the gaping gaze of several laborers in the park.
Claudia was in her most boisterous spirits; Eugene, by one of the quick
transitions of his nature, was hardly less elate. Up-hill they toiled
and down-hill they raced, getting, as the manner of "cyclists" is, very
warm and rather oily. But retribution lagged not. Down a steep hill they
came, round a sharp turn they went, and, alas, over into a ditch they
fell. This was bad enough, but in the calm seclusion of a garden seat,
perched on a knoll just above them, the sinners, as they rose, dirty but
unhurt, beheld Miss Bernard! For a moment all was consternation. What
would she say?

It was a curious thing, but Kate seemed as embarrassed as themselves,
and she said nothing except:

"Oh, I hope you're not hurt!" and said this in a hasty way and with
ostentatious amiability.

Eugene was surprised. But as his eyes wandered, they fell on Haddington,
and that rising politician held awkwardly in his hand, and was trying to
convey behind his back, what looked very like a lady's glove. Now Miss
Bernard had only one glove on.

"The battery is spiked," he whispered triumphantly. "Come along, Lady
Claudia."

Claudia hadn't seen what Eugene had, but she obeyed, and off they went
again, airily waving their hands.

"What's the matter with her?" she asked.

Eugene was struggling with laughter.

"Didn't you see? Haddington had her glove! Splendid!"

Claudia, regardless of safety, turned for an