isterously gay, I have a remedy behind, suited to your temperament. I
am old-fashioned, and believe in the temperaments."

"And what is that wemedy?"

"Try diet, and hard exercise, first."

"Oh, yes; but let me know that wemedy."

"I warn you it is what we call in medicine an heroic one."

"Never mind. I am despewate."

"Well, then, the heroic remedy--to be used only as a desperate resort,
mind--you must marry an Irishman."

This took the lady's breath away.

"Mawwy a nice man?"

"A nice man; no. That means a fool. Marry scientifically--a precaution
eternally neglected. Marry a Hibernian gentleman, a being as mercurial
as you are lymphatic."

"Mercurial!--lymphatic!"--

"Oh, hard words break no bones, ma'am."

"No, sir. And it is very curious. No, I won't tell you. Yes, I will. Hem
I--I think I have noticed one."

"One what?"

"One Iwishman--dangling after me."

"Then your ladyship has only to tighten the cord--and HE'S done for."

Having administered this prescription, our laughing philosopher went
off to Italy, and there fell in with some countrymen to his mind, so he
accompanied them to Egypt and Palestine.

His absence, and Lord Tadcaster's, made Rosa Staines's life extremely
monotonous. Day followed day, and week followed week, each so unvarying,
that, on a retrospect, three months seemed like one day.

And I think at last youth and nature began to rebel, and secretly to
crave some little change or incident to ruffle the stagnant pool. Yet
she would not go into society, and would only receive two or three dull
people at the villa; so she made the very monotony which was beginning
to tire her, and nursed a sacred grief she had no need to nurse, it was
so truly genuine.

She was in this forlorn condition, when, one morning, a carriage drove
to the door, and a card was brought up to her--"Mr. Reginald Falcon."

Falcon's history, between this and our last advices, is soon disposed
of.

When, after a little struggle with his better angel, he rode past his
wife's gate, he intended, at first, only to go to Cape Town, sell the
diamonds, have a lark, and bring home the balance: but, as he rode
south, his views expanded. He could have ten times the fun in London,
and cheaper; since he could sell the diamonds for more money, and
also conceal the true price. This was the Bohemian's whole mind in the
business. He had no designs whatever on Mrs. Staines, nor did he intend
to steal the diamonds, but to