fish are so early this year that we must start at once. I
have a matter on which I want to speak to you before I leave; and,
indeed, it was that which brought me down more than anything else."
There was something hurried and not altogether easy about his manner
as he spoke, which struck Robarts, and made him think that this
promised matter to be spoken of would not be agreeable in discussion.
He did not know whether Lord Lufton might not again be mixed up with
Tozer and the bills.

"You will dine with us to-day," he said, "if, as I suppose, you are
all alone."

"Yes, I am all alone."

"Then you'll come?"

"Well, I don't quite know. No, I don't think I can go over to dinner.
Don't look so disgusted. I'll explain it all to you just now." What
could there be in the wind; and how was it possible that Tozer's bill
should make it inexpedient for Lord Lufton to dine at the parsonage?
Robarts, however, said nothing further about it at the moment, but
turned off to look at the horses.

"They are an uncommonly nice set of animals," said he.

"Well, yes; I don't know. When a man has four or five horses to look
at, somehow or other he never has one fit to go. That chestnut mare
is a picture, now that nobody wants her; but she wasn't able to carry
me well to hounds a single day last winter. Take them in, Pounce;
that'll do."

"Won't your lordship run your eye over the old black 'oss?" said
Pounce, the head groom, in a melancholy tone; "he's as fine, sir--as
fine as a stag."

"To tell you the truth, I think they're too fine; but that'll do;
take them in. And now, Mark, if you're at leisure, we'll take a
turn round the place." Mark, of course, was at leisure, and so they
started on their walk.

"You're too difficult to please about your stable," Robarts began.

"Never mind the stable now," said Lord Lufton. "The truth is, I am
not thinking about it. Mark," he then said, very abruptly, "I want
you to be frank with me. Has your sister ever spoken to you about
me?"

"My sister; Lucy?"

"Yes; your sister Lucy."

"No, never; at least nothing especial; nothing that I can remember at
this moment."

"Nor your wife?"

"Spoken about you!--Fanny? Of course she has, in an ordinary way. It
would be impossible that she should not. But what do you mean?"

"Have either of them told you that I made an offer to your sister?"

"That you made an offer to Lucy?"

"Yes, that I made an offer to Lucy."

"No; nobody has told me so