g slightly. "It is
very clever, very prettily written, but scarcely practical, scarcely
business-like enough for a prosaic person like myself. A question of
this kind is a great financial problem, not a philanthropic experiment.
Don't you agree with me?"

"Perfectly," said he, bowing.

"And its merits are to be tested by figures, and not by Utopian dreams
of felicity. Don't you think so?"

He bowed again, and smiled approvingly.

"I am aware," said she, in a sort of half confusion, "what rashness it
would be in me to say this to any one less largely minded than yourself;
how I should expose myself to the censure of being narrow-hearted and
worldly, and so forth; but I am not afraid of such judgments from you."

"Nor have you need to dread them," said he, in a voice a little above a
whisper.

"Young ladies, like Miss Kellett, are often possessed by the ambition--a
very laudable sentiment, no doubt--of distinguishing themselves by these
opinions. It is, as it were, a 'trick of the time' we live in, and, with
those who do not move in 'society,' has its success too."

The peculiar intonation of that one word "society" gave the whole point
and direction of this speech. There was in it that which seemed to say,
"_This_ is the real tribunal! Here is the one true court where claims
are recognized and shams nonsuited." Nor was it lost upon Mr. Davenport
Dunn. More than once--ay, many a time before--had he been struck by the
reference to that Star Chamber of the well-bred world. He had even heard
a noble lord on the Treasury benches sneer down a sturdy champion
of Manchesterism, by suggesting that in a certain circle, where the
honorable gentleman never came, very different opinions prevailed from
those announced by him.

While Dunn was yet pondering over this mystic word, Lord Glengariff came
to say that, as Miss Kellett required his presence to look over some
papers in the library, they might stroll slowly along till he overtook
them.

As they sauntered along under the heavy shade of the great beech-trees,
the sun streaking at intervals the velvety sward beneath their feet,
while the odor of the fresh hay was wafted by on a faint light breeze,
Dunn was unconsciously brought back in memory to the "long, long ago,"
when he walked the self-same spot in a gloom only short of despair. Who
could have predicted the day when he should stroll there, with _her_ at
his side, _her_ arm within his own, _her_ voice appealing in to