g her that
Monsieur never deigned to go third class.

'It is a smoking carriage,' said Miss Nugent, on the step. 'Pah! how
it smells,' as she jumped back.

'Beautiful backy--a perfect nosegay,' said Gerard.

'Trust that fellow for having the best.'

'His master's, no doubt,' suggested Mr. Dutton.

'You'd better go in it, to enjoy his reversion,' said Nuttie.

'And where's my escort, then?'

'Oh, I'm sure we don't want you.'

'Nuttie, my dear,' expostulated Miss Nugent, dragging her into the next
carriage.

'You may enjoy the fragrance still,' said Nuttie when seated. 'Do you
see--there's the man's master; he has stood him up against that post,
with his cigar, to wait while he gets out the luggage. I daresay you
can get a whiff if you lean out far enough.'

'I say! that figure is a study!' said Gerard. 'What is it that he is
so like?'

'Oh! I know,' said Nuttie. 'It is Lord Frederick Verisopht, and the
bad gentlefolks in the pictures to the old numbers of Dickens that you
have got, Miss Mary. Now, isn't he? Look! only Lord Frederick wasn't
fat.'

Nuttie was in a state of excitement that made her peculiarly
unmanageable, and Miss Nugent was very grateful to Mr. Dutton for his
sharp though general admonition against staring, while, under pretext
of disposing of the umbrella and the vasculum, he stood up, so as to
block the window till they were starting.

There was no one else to observe them but a demure old lady, and in ten
minutes' time they were in open space, where high spirits might work
themselves off, though the battle over the botanical case was ended by
Miss Nugent, who strongly held that ladies should carry their own extra
encumbrances, and slung it with a scarf over Nuttie's shoulders in a
knowing knapsack fashion.

The two young people had known one another all their lives, for Gerard
was the son of a medical man who had lived next door to Miss Headworth
when the children were young. The father was dead, and the family had
left the place, but this son had remained at school, and afterwards had
been put into the office at the umbrella factory under charge of Mr.
Dutton, whose godson he was, and who treated him as a nephew. He was a
good-hearted, steady young fellow, with his whole interest in
ecclesiastical details, wearing a tie in accordance with 'the colours,'
and absorbed in church music and decorations, while his recreations
were almost all in accordance therewith.

There was