en to the seaside. Will you just ask him?'

'Oh yes, I will.'

'I'm sorry I've had to draw back, Mr. Bunce, after offering--'

'It don't matter a bit, Miss Nancarrow. Miss Trent 'll do just as well,
if she really don't mind the trouble.'

'Trouble! Why, she'd give anything to go! Please get Mr. Grail to let
her.'

Bunce returned to his room and closed the door. Gilbert had taken Nelly
on his knee, and was satisfying her by tasting the remnant of lollipop.

'I say, Jack!' cried the father, his eye again catching sight of the
bruised tract on the floor. 'Who brought that here?'

'I did, father,' answered the youngster stoutly, though he saw
displeasure in his father's face.

'Where did you get it, eh?' was asked sharply.

'A lady gave it me at the door.'

'Then I'd thank ladies to mind their own business. And you never take
anything else at the door; do you understand that, Jack?'

'Yes, father.'

Bunce turned to Gilbert, who was waiting to depart.

'Miss Nancarrow tells me she can't go to Eastbourne on Saturday. But
she says Miss Trent's very anxious to go instead of her. What do you
think of it?'

Grail reflected. The plan pleased him on the whole, though he had just
a doubt whether Thyrza ought to travel by herself.

'I see no reason why she shouldn't,' he said. 'It'll be a pleasure to
her, and I shall be glad to have her do you the kindness.'

'Then could I see her before Saturday?'

'Come in to-morrow night, will you?'

The second course of lectures was at an end. Egremont had only
delivered one a week since Christmas, and even so it cost him no little
effort to spread his 'Thoughts for the Present' over the three months,
Latterly he had blended a good deal of historical disquisition with his
prophecy: the result was to himself profoundly unsatisfactory. He
sighed with relief as he dismissed his poor little audience for the
last time. For the future he had made no promises, beyond saying that
in his library-building there were two rooms which were to be devoted
to lectures. The library itself was now his chief care. This was
something solid; it would re-establish him in his self-confidence.

Yes; 'Thoughts for the Present' had been a failure.

The first lecture was far away the best. It dealt with Religion.
Addressed to an audience ready for such philosophical views, it would
have met with a flattering reception. Egremont's point of view was,
strictly, the aesthetic; he aimed at replacing rel