tood by the world up to this day. Audacious, is it
not?"

"I like audacity," returned Miss Du Prel. "As I understand you, you
require an altogether new dispensation!"

Hadria gave a half smile, conscious of her stupendous demand. Then she
said, with a peculiar movement of the head, as if throwing off a heavy
weight, and looking before her steadily: "Yes, I require a new
dispensation."

CHAPTER VIII.

Hubert Temperley made a point of going to the tennis-party, on Tuesday,
at Dunaghee, in order to talk to Miss Fullerton. He had not expected to
find original musical talent in this out-of-the-way place.

Hadria was in a happy mood, for her mother had so far overcome her
prejudice against Miss Du Prel, as to ask her to join the party.

The festivity had, therefore, lost its usual quality of melancholy.

It was a warm afternoon, and every one seemed cheerful "and almost
intelligent," Hadria commented. The first words that Mr. Temperley
uttered, made her turn to him, in surprise. She was so unaccustomed to
be interested in what the people about here had to say. Even intelligent
visitors usually adopted the tone of the inhabitants. Hubert Temperley's
manner was very polished. His accent denoted mental cultivation. He
spoke with eloquence of literature, and praised enthusiastically most
great names dating securely from the hallowed past. Of modern literature
he was a stern critic; of music he spoke with ardour.

"I hear that you not only perform but compose, Miss Fullerton," he said.
"As soon as I heard that, I felt that I must make your acquaintance. My
friends, the Gordons, are very charming, but they don't understand a
note of music, and I am badly off for a kindred spirit."

"My composing is a very mild affair," Hadria answered. "I suppose you
are more fortunate."

"Not much. I am pretty busy you see. I have my profession. I play a
good deal--the piano and the _'cello_ are my instruments. But my
difficulty is to find someone to accompany me. My sister does when she
can, but of course with a house and family to look after----I am
sometimes selfish enough to wish she had not married. We used to be such
good friends."

"Is that all over?"

"It is different. She always manages to be busy now," said Temperley in
a slightly ironical tone.

He plunged once more, into a musical discussion.

Hadria had reluctantly to cut it short, in order to arrange
tennis-matches. This task was performed as usual, somewhat