e
promising speculation on which he had embarked. "My certie! there was
naething left for't, when madam's fingers had grippit me, but to slip
through them as cannily as I could. What's Jaffray's marrying, or no'
marrying, to do wi' _her?_" he wondered, reverting to the question which
Anne had put to him at parting. "And whar's the sense o' her errand, if
she's reely bent on finding her way to Mistress Glenarm?"

Whatever the sense of her errand might be, Anne's next proceeding proved
that she was really bent on it. After resting two days, she left Perth
by the first train in the morning, for Swanhaven Lodge.

NINTH SCENE.--THE MUSIC-ROOM.

CHAPTER THE FORTIETH.

JULIUS MAKES MISCHIEF.

JULIUS DELAMAYN was alone, idly sauntering to and fro, with his violin
in his hand, on the terrace at Swanhaven Lodge.

The first mellow light of evening was in the sky. It was the close of
the day on which Anne Silvester had left Perth.

Some hours earlier, Julius had sacrificed himself to the duties of his
political position--as made for him by his father. He had submitted to
the dire necessity of delivering an oration to the electors, at a public
meeting in the neighboring town of Kirkandrew. A detestable atmosphere
to breathe; a disorderly audience to address; insolent opposition to
conciliate; imbecile inquiries to answer; brutish interruptions to
endure; greedy petitioners to pacify; and dirty hands to shake: these
are the stages by which the aspiring English gentleman is compelled
to travel on the journey which leads him from the modest obscurity of
private life to the glorious publicity of the House of Commons. Julius
paid the preliminary penalties of a political first appearance, as
exacted by free institutions, with the necessary patience; and returned
to the welcome shelter of home, more indifferent, if possible, to the
attractions of Parliamentary distinction than when he set out. The
discord of the roaring "people" (still echoing in his ears) had
sharpened his customary sensibility to the poetry of sound, as composed
by Mozart, and as interpreted by piano and violin. Possessing himself of
his beloved instrument, he had gone out on the terrace to cool himself
in the evening air, pending the arrival of the servant whom he had
summoned by the music-room bell. The man appeared at the glass door
which led into the room; and reported, in answer to his master's
inquiry, that Mrs. Julius Delamayn was out paying visi