em to luncheon. Only think--named in Parliament! Don't
you think now it might lead to a baronetcy, Tracy?"

"Or a peerage," quoth naughty Viola, out of reach of mother or Harold.
"My Lord Hardbake would be a sweet title."

"I should revive the old honours of the family," said Eustace, not
catching the bit of wickedness. "Calldron of Arghouse was an old
barony. Lord Calldron of Arghouse! Should you object, Miss Tracy?"

"Earthen pot or copper kettle? Which?" laughed Viola. "Ah! there's
Miss Vernon going to sing. I want to hear her," and she jumped up.

"Sit down, Dermot, in my place; you are not to stand."

She threaded her way to the piano, followed by Eustace, who still
viewed himself as her suitor.

"Poor little Vi!" said Dermot, who by this time was aware of the
courtship, and regarded it with little favour.

"She will rub him off more easily among numbers," I said, as he settled
down by me. "But is this really so, Dermot?"

"What, is she to be my Lady Calldron? I am afraid my hopes of that
elevation are not high. But as to the luncheon, you will really have
to slaughter your turkeys, and declare war on your surviving cocks and
hens. He has been inviting right and left. And tell Harold from me
that if he votes the thing a bore, and keeps out of the way for fear of
having to open his mouth, he'll be doing serious damage. If respect to
the future baronetcy makes him get into the background, tell him, with
my compliments, the whole thing will be a muddle, and I'll never speak
a good word for him again."

"Then you have been speaking good words?"

"When Sir James began to inquire about the Hydriots, Mr. Alison was
called on to answer him, and you are aware that, except to certain
constitutions of intellect, as my uncle would say, certain animals
cannot open their mouths without proclaiming themselves. The most
sensible thing he said was the invite to come and see. Really, he made
such mulls with the details that even I had to set him right, and that
led to Sir James talking it out with me, when I had the opportunity of
mentioning that a certain person, not the smallest of mankind, had been
entirely overlooked. Yes I did, Lucy. I up and told him how our
friend came over as heir; and when he was done out of it, set to work
as agent and manager and improver-general, without a notion of jealousy
or anything but being a backbone to this cousin of his, and I could not
say what besides to all that c