hy, it was you," said Lulu, flushing a little. "I began by thinking
how different you were from what we thought you were going to be. When
papa said a lord was coming to stay with us, I was really quite
uncomfortable. I thought it would be such a dreadfully solemn thing to
have one in the house."

Lord Carresford laughed.

"And you have since discovered that I am not such a very solemn person
after all, is that it?"

"Yes," said Lulu; "you're not the least bit solemn, you know, but much
nicer than any other gentleman who ever came to stay with us. It's only
two days since you came, but it seems as if we'd all known you a long
time. Betty said she didn't believe lords were any different from other
people, but the rest of us all thought they must be."

"Good for Betty. How did she obtain her superior knowledge about lords?"

"She said the lords in books were just like other people, and then I
suppose being English made her know a little more about such things,
though she's never been in England herself."

"English," repeated Lord Carresford in surprise; "I did not know that
the Hamiltons were English."

"They're not, but Betty isn't Mrs. Hamilton's little girl. Did you think
she was Winifred's sister?"

"Yes, I did think so; and the little lame boy--isn't he a Hamilton
either?"

"Oh, no," said Lulu, laughing; "Winifred hasn't any brothers or sisters
at all. She and I are great friends, but we haven't known Betty and Jack
very long. They lived in the same apartment house with Winifred in New
York, and she got acquainted with them in the spring. Their mother was
very ill, and papa attended her. Jack couldn't walk at all then, but
papa thought he might be cured, so he went to a hospital, and had an
operation. They came down here, because papa thought the sea air would
do Jack good. They're staying at Mrs. Wilson's boarding house, and their
mother gives music lessons. We're growing very fond of Betty and Jack,
and I mean to have them for my friends always."

"I took quite a fancy to Jack myself," said Lord Carresford; "he struck
me as a rather remarkable little fellow."

Lulu's face brightened.

"I'm very glad," she said, "because Jack is so anxious to know you.
Betty says he thinks you are the loveliest gentleman he has ever seen.
He talks about you all the time and when he and Betty came over here
yesterday, and I told him you had gone driving with papa, he looked
dreadfully disappointed."

Lord Carresford