ced that pearl stud? It is a black one, and must have
cost a great deal; and there is a certain look, air, about him, which
you, my dear Eleanor, are not likely to notice or understand, but which,
to one of my experience of the world, is significant. Did he seem to
enjoy his sail this morning?"

"Yes, I think so," absently replied Nell, who was watching the tall
figure as it went down the hill.

Mrs. Lorton coughed in a genteel fashion, and her smile grew still more
self-satisfied.

"He could not be in a better place," she said; "could not possibly, and
I do trust he will not think of leaving us until he is quite restored to
health. I must really impress upon him how glad we are to have him, and
how his presence cheers our dull and lonely lives."

Nell laughed softly.

"Mr. Vernon does not strike me as being particularly cheerful," she
remarked; "at least, not generally," she qualified, as she remembered
the unwonted brightness which he had displayed in the _Annie Laurie_.

"In-deed! You are quite wrong, Eleanor," said Mrs. Lorton stiffly. "I
consider Mr. Vernon a most entertaining and brilliant companion; and I,
for one, should very deeply deplore his departure. I trust, therefore,
you will do all you can to make his stay pleasant and to induce him to
prolong it. Three horses; ahem!"--she coughed behind her mittened
hand--"has he--er--hinted, given you any idea of his position
and--er--income, Eleanor?"

Nell flushed and shook her head.

"No, mamma," she said reluctantly. "Why should he? We are not
curious----"

"Certainly not!" assented Mrs. Lorton, bridling. "I may have my faults,
but curiosity is certainly not one of them. I merely thought that he
might have dropped a word or two about himself, or his people, and
the--ahem!--extent of his fortune."

Nell shook her head again.

"Nary a word--I mean, not a word!" she corrected herself hastily; "and,
like yourself, mamma, I am not curious. What does it matter what and who
he is, or who his people are? He will be gone in a day or two, and we
shall probably never see him again."

She moved away from the window as she made the response, and began to
sing, and Mrs. Lorton looked after her, and listened to the sweet young
voice, with a smile on her weakly shrewd face.

"Eleanor has grown a great deal lately," she murmured to herself; "and I
suppose some men would consider her not altogether bad-looking. I am
quite certain he is a single man--he would have m