sins seem to have made an
engagement for me. No doubt I shall see Lady Laura at the
boats. My aunt thanks her for her kind letter.

"Yours very truly,

"Constance Bledlow."

Falloden bit his lip. He had reckoned on an acceptance, having done
everything that had been prescribed to him; and he felt injured. He
walked on, fuming and meditating, to Vincent's Club, and wrote a reply.

"DEAR LADY CONSTANCE,--A thousand regrets! I hope for better
luck next time. Meanwhile, as you say, we shall meet
to-morrow at the Eights. I have spent much time to-day in
trying to find you a horse, as we agreed. The mare I told you
of is really a beauty. I am going to try her to-morrow, and
will report when we meet. I admire your nepticular (I believe
_neptis_ is the Latin for niece) docility!

"Yours sincerely,

"DOUGLAS FALLODEN."

"Will that offend her?" he thought. "But a pin-prick is owed. I was
distinctly given to understand that if the proprieties were observed,
she would come."

In reality, however, he was stimulated by her refusal, as he was by all
forms of conflict, which, for him, made the zest of life.

He shut himself up that evening and the following morning with his
Greats work. Then he and Meyrick rushed up to the racket courts in the
Parks for an hour's hard exercise, after which, in the highest physical
spirits, a splendid figure in his white flannels, with the dark blue cap
and sash of the Harrow Eleven--(he had quarrelled with the captain of
the Varsity Eleven very early in his Oxford career, and by an heroic
sacrifice to what he conceived to be his dignity had refused to let
himself be tried for it)--he went off to meet his mother and sister at
the railway station.

It was, of course, extremely inconsiderate of his mother to be coming at
all in these critical weeks before the schools. She ought to have kept
away. And yet he would be very glad to see her--and Nelly. He was fond
of his home people, and they of him. They were his belongings--and they
were Fallodens. Therefore his strong family pride accepted them, and
made the most of them.

But his countenance fell when, as the train slowed into the railway
station, he perceived beckoning to him from the windows, not two
Fallodens, but four!

"What has mother been about?" He stood aghast. For there were not only
Lady Laura and Nelly, but Trix, a child of eleven, and Roger, the
Winchester boy o