tention to the wants of the visitors, quite
prevented those presiding in the principal tent from hearing what was
passing in the other. It was the intention of the squire, after all had
been satisfied, to gather both companies together in the open park, and
address them before they separated to join in the various amusements
provided for them.

The guests in the chief tent had just concluded their dinner, and those
at the upper table, where the party from the hall had been sitting, were
dispersing and making their way into the open air, when a burst of
cheers and shrieks of laughter from the other tent made Sir Thomas
remark, with a slight cloud on his face,--

"Our friends over there seem very merry."

Then came louder cheers and louder laughter. Mary's heart died within
her, she hardly knew why. She hurried out of the tent, when she was met
by Juniper Graves, the groom, a man from whom she shrank with special
dislike, for reasons which will shortly be explained.

"Come here, miss," he cried, with a malicious grin; "here's Mr Frank
making such capital fun; he'll send us all into fits afore he's done! I
never seed anything like it--it's quite bacchanalian!"

Under other circumstances Mary would have hurried away at once, but the
name of Frank acted like a spell. She peeped in at the tent-door where
the labourers were dining, and almost sank to the ground at the sight
she beheld.

Standing on a chair at the head of the table, his face flushed a deep
red, his beautiful hair tossed back and his eyes flashing with
excitement, a bottle flourishing in his right hand, was Frank Oldfield,
roaring out, amidst cheers and shouts of applause, a boisterous,
roystering comic song. Mary was shrinking back in horror when she saw
Juniper Graves glide behind his young master's chair, and fill his glass
from a jug which he held in his hand. Frank saw the act, caught up the
glass, and drained it in a moment. Then launching out into his song
again, he swayed himself backwards and forwards, evidently being in
danger of falling but for the help of the groom, who held out his arm to
steady him. Mary tottered back out of the tent, but not till her eyes
had met those of her lover. Oh! it sickened her to think of so pure and
holy a thing as love in connection with such a face as that.

"My child," said her father, to whom she had hurried, pale, and ready to
sink at every step, "what has happened? what is the matter? Are you
ill