.

"Do you hear what they say of you?" asked Fortune, the dairy-maid, of
her partner.

"I hear 'em," was Will Jackson's reply.

"Won't you knock him down?"

"I think not. Wouldn't be convenient to the Colonel."

"I doubt you're chicken-hearted," replied she.

"Think so?" said Will Jackson, quite calmly.

"Well, you're a queer fellow!" said Fortune.

"Hold you there!" was the reply; "I shall be queerer anon."

The Monday was a very busy day, for Mrs Jane proposed to set forth with
the lark on the Tuesday morning. She had obtained a pass from the
Parliament for herself and friends, and four others were to accompany
her; her cousin Mr Lascelles, and his wife, and a neighbouring lady and
gentleman named Petre. Jenny was very busy all day packing trunks and
bags under the instructions of her young mistress. In the afternoon, as
they were thus employed, Mrs Lane came rather hastily into the room.

"Jane, child," she said to her daughter, "I am really concerned that you
should have no better attendance in your journey than that fellow
Jackson. I do indeed think we must send him back, and get you a more
suitable man."

Mrs Jane was on her knees, packing a little leather trunk. She looked
up for a moment, and then resumed her work, giving all her attention to
a troublesome box, which would not fit into the space that she had left
for it.

"Is he unsuitable, madam? I pray you, how so?"

"Child, the man doth not know his business. He is now in the yard,
looking to your saddle and harness; and he doth not know how to take the
collar off the horse. Dick bade him lift the collar off Bay Winchester,
and he was for taking it off without turning it. And really, some of
his--"

The sentence was never finished.

"O, Madam! O, Mrs Jane!" cried Millicent, coming in with uplifted
hands. "That horrid creature. I'm certain sure he's a Roundhead!
Robin has heard him speak such dreadful words! Do, I beseech you,
madam, tell the Colonel that he is cherishing a crocodile in his bosom.
We shall all be murdered in our beds before night!"

Mrs Jane sat back on the floor and laughed.

"Ah, my dear young gentlewoman, you may laugh," was the solemn comment
of Millicent; "but I do assure you 'tis no laughing matter. If Mrs
Jane will not listen to reason, madam, I beg _you_ to hear me when I
tell you what I have heard."

The solemnity of Millicent's tones was something awful. Mrs Jane,
however, was so misguided as t