n upright chair directly beneath the lamp,
beside a very long and narrow oak table. She placed a pair of horn
spectacles upon her nose, and drew towards her a basketful of threads
and wools. In a few minutes a smile came to her face, and remained there
for the rest of the evening.

"Will you come out shooting with us to-morrow?" said Christopher, who
had, on the whole, formed a favorable impression of his sister's friend.

"I won't shoot, but I'll come with you," said Ralph.

"Don't you care about shooting?" asked Edward, whose suspicions were not
yet laid to rest.

"I've never shot in my life," said Ralph, turning and looking him in the
face, because he was not sure how this confession would be received.

"You wouldn't have much chance in London, I suppose," said Christopher.
"But won't you find it rather dull--just watching us?"

"I shall watch birds," Ralph replied, with a smile.

"I can show you the place for watching birds," said Edward, "if that's
what you like doing. I know a fellow who comes down from London about
this time every year to watch them. It's a great place for the wild
geese and the ducks. I've heard this man say that it's one of the best
places for birds in the country."

"It's about the best place in England," Ralph replied. They were all
gratified by this praise of their native county; and Mary now had
the pleasure of hearing these short questions and answers lose their
undertone of suspicious inspection, so far as her brothers were
concerned, and develop into a genuine conversation about the habits
of birds which afterwards turned to a discussion as to the habits of
solicitors, in which it was scarcely necessary for her to take part. She
was pleased to see that her brothers liked Ralph, to the extent, that
is, of wishing to secure his good opinion. Whether or not he liked them
it was impossible to tell from his kind but experienced manner. Now and
then she fed the fire with a fresh log, and as the room filled with
the fine, dry heat of burning wood, they all, with the exception of
Elizabeth, who was outside the range of the fire, felt less and less
anxious about the effect they were making, and more and more inclined
for sleep. At this moment a vehement scratching was heard on the door.

"Piper!--oh, damn!--I shall have to get up," murmured Christopher.

"It's not Piper, it's Pitch," Edward grunted.

"All the same, I shall have to get up," Christopher grumbled. He let
in the dog, and