his hand
once more on his nephew's shoulder. George took the hand and pressed it
affectionately. In the tenderest and best sense of the word, his uncle
had been a father to him.

"I will do what you ask me, sir," he replied, "if you seriously wish it.
But it is only right to tell you that the experiment will be perfectly
useless. However, if you prefer my passing a week at the Grange to my
passing it here, to the Grange I will go."

"Thank you, George," said the admiral, bluntly. "I expected as much from
you, and you have not disappointed me.--If Miss Brock doesn't get us out
of this mess," thought the wily old gentleman, as he resumed his place
at the table, "my nephew's weather-cock of a head has turned steady with
a vengeance!--We'll consider the question settled for to-night, George,"
he continued, aloud, "and call another subject. These family anxieties
don't improve the flavor of my old claret. The bottle stands with you.
What are they doing at the theaters in London? We always patronized the
theaters, in my time, in the Navy. We used to like a good tragedy
to begin with, and a hornpipe to cheer us up at the end of the
entertainment."

For the rest of the evening, the talk flowed in the ordinary channels.
Admiral Bartram only returned to the forbidden subject when he and his
nephew parted for the night.

"You won't forget to-morrow, George?"

"Certainly not, sir. I'll take the dog-cart, and drive myself over after
breakfast."

Before noon the next day Mr. George Bartram had left the house, and the
last chance in Magdalen's favor had left it with him.

CHAPTER IV.

WHEN the servants' dinner-bell at St. Crux rang as usual on the day of
George Bartram's departure, it was remarked that the new parlor-maid's
place at table remained empty. One of the inferior servants was sent
to her room to make inquiries, and returned with the information that
"Louisa" felt a little faint, and begged that her attendance at table
might be excused for that day. Upon this, the superior authority of the
housekeeper was invoked, and Mrs. Drake went upstairs immediately to
ascertain the truth for herself. Her first look of inquiry satisfied her
that the parlor-maid's indisposition, whatever the cause of it might
be, was certainly not assumed to serve any idle or sullen purpose of
her own. She respectfully declined taking any of the remedies which the
housekeeper offered, and merely requested permission to try the efficacy