ge sounds arrested his attention. Had these
sounds proceeded from Alexander McCray, there would have been no
difficulty about the matter, and one would have immediately said that
the ex-gardener was snoring loudly; but when a nobleman is concerned, a
diffidence--an unwillingness is felt to use such a term. However, Lord
Maudlaine was loudly trumpeting forth the announcement that he was
devoting a spare hour to the service of Morpheus, and Sir Murray Gernon,
hearing those sounds, was attracted thereby.

"You here, Maudlaine?" exclaimed Sir Murray.

"Eh? Why, what the deuce--Dear me! I suppose I was dozing," said his
lordship, lifting himself up a bit at a time, as he indulged in a most
unmistakable yawn.

"Not with Isa?" said Sir Murray. "I thought you went out with her?"

"Ya-as--ya-as! no question of a doubt about it, I did," drawled the
Viscount; "and I've just been dreaming that I was boating with her on
the lake--not your fish-pond here, but Como--same as we did before we
came away."

"But you went out walking with her?" said Sir Murray, anxiously.

"Ya-as. Not a question of a doubt about it! I did go out and walked a
little way with her."

"Did she turn back, then?"

"N-n-no!" said the Viscount; "point of fact, she as good as told me she
didn't want me, and went on by herself."

"My dear Maudlaine," said Sir Murray, smiling, as he clapped his guest
upon the shoulder, "I'm afraid that you are not half a lady's man. It
is a fine thing for you that you have no rival in the field."

"Ya-as--just so--no doubt about that," said his lordship laughing. "But
a--a I began talking to her on indifferent subjects, and, point of fact,
she didn't seem to like indifferent subjects--seemed as if I bothered
her, you know, and of course I didn't want to do that; so seeing, as you
say, that there was no one else in the field--regular walk over the
course, you know--I didn't bother her nor myself either. We're getting
on very nicely, though, Sir Murray--very nicely indeed. No question
about that."

"I'm glad to hear it," said Sir Murray, dryly.

"Ya-as; beginning to understand one another's idio--what is it?--
syncracies, don't you call it? I think Isa likes me."

"Oh! yes, of course--of course!" said Sir Murray. "By the way,
Maudlaine," he continued, taking the young man's arm and walking slowly
with him down a path, "I hope you will be particular about the place;
for I dare say I shall give it up to you y