ppose, after the specimen
you had yesterday? Thank you; I have had enough of lecturing for
the present."

"I am very much obliged to you, really, for what you said to me,"
said Mary, still looking at her gloves.

The subject was a very distasteful one to Tom. He looked at her
for a moment to see whether she was laughing at him, and then
broke it off abruptly--

"I hope you have enjoyed your visit?"

"Oh yes, so very much. I shall think of it all the summer."

"Where shall you be all the summer?" asked Tom. "Not so very far
from you. Papa has taken a house only eight miles from
Englebourn, and Katie says you live within a day's drive of
them."

"And shall you be there all the vacation?"

"Yes; and we hope to get Katie over often. Could not you come and
meet her? it would be so pleasant."

"But do you think I might? I don't know your father or mother."

"Oh, yes; papa and mamma are very kind, and will ask anybody I
like. Besides, you are a cousin, you know."

"Only up at Oxford, I am afraid."

"Well now, you will see. We are going to have a great archery
party next month, and you shall have an invitation."

"Will you write it for me yourself?"

"Very likely; but why?"

"Don't you think I shall value a note in your hand more than--"

"Nonsense; now, remember your lecture. Oh here are Uncle Robert
and Katie."

Mr. Winter was very gracious, and thanked Tom for all his
attentions. He had been very pleased, he said, to make his
nephew's acquaintance again so pleasantly, and hoped he would
come and pass a day or two at Englebourn in the vacation. In his
sad state of health he could not do much to entertain a young
man, but he could procure him some good fishing and shooting in
the neighborhood. Tom assured his uncle that nothing would please
him so much as a visit to Englebourn. Perhaps the remembrance of
the distance between that parish and the place where Mary was to
spend the summer may have added a little to his enthusiasm.

"I should have liked also to have thanked your friend for his
hospitality," Mr. Winter went on. "I understood my daughter to
say he was here."

"Yes, he was here just now," said Tom; "he must be below, I
think."

"What, that good Mr. Hardy?" said Mary, who was looking out of
the window; "there he is in the street. He has just helped
Hopkins into the rumble, and handed her things to her just as if
she were a duchess. She has been so cross all the morning, and
now she looks qu