way, "he wanted to commence his great picture of
'Fair Rosamond and Eleanor' yesterday--and how could he when Eleanor
never came. Why didn't you--you promised?"

"I changed my mind, I suppose."

"And broke your word--more shame for you, then! Come now."

"No; thanks. It's going to rain."

"Nothing of the sort; and Rupert is so anxious. He would have come
himself, only my lady is ill to-day with one of her bad headaches, and
asked him to read her to sleep; and like the good boy that he is in the
main, though shockingly lazy, he obeyed. Do come, Aileen, there's a
dear! Don't be selfish."

Miss Jocyln rose rather abruptly.

"I have no desire to be selfish, Miss Everard. If you will wait ten
minutes while I dress, I will accompany you to Thetford Towers."

She rang the bell, and swept from the room stately and uplifted. May
looked after her, fidgeting a little.

"Dear me! I suppose she is offended now at that word 'selfish.' I never
did get on very well with Aileen Jocyln, and I'm afraid I never shall. I
shouldn't wonder if she were jealous."

Miss Everard laughed a little silvery laugh all to herself, and slapped
her kid riding-boot with her pretty toy whip.

"I hope I didn't interrupt a tender declaration that night in the
conservatory; but it looked like it. If I did I am sure Rupert has had
fifty chances since, and I know he hasn't availed himself of them, or
Aileen would never wear that dissatisfied face. I know she's in love
with him, though, to be sure, she would see me impaled with the
greatest pleasure if she only thought I suspected it; but I'm not so
certain about him. He's a great deal too indolent, in the first place,
to get up a grand passion for anybody; and I think he's inclined to look
graciously on me--poor little me--in the second. You may spare yourself
the trouble, my dear Sir Rupert, for a gentleman whose chief aim in
existence is to smoke Turkish pipes, and lie on the grass, and write and
read poetry, is not at all the sort of man I mean to bless for life.

"Tell me not of your soft sighing lovers,
Such things may be had by the score;
I'd rather be bride to a rover,
And polish the rifle he bore."

Sang May Everard, in a gay little voice as Miss Jocyln, in a flowing
riding habit, entered the room.

The two girls descended to the court-yard, mounted, and rode off. Both
rode well and both looked their best on horseback, and made a
wonderfully pretty picture as they ga