he next evening, at the appointed time, we wended our way, by an
unfrequented route, and presented ourselves, as secretly as possible,
at the drawing-room of the princess.

The door was opened by Lady Jane, and we met the two girls almost at
the threshold. I had told Brandon of the bantering conversation about
the title and estates of the late Duke of Suffolk, and he had laughed
over it in the best of humor. If quick to retaliate for an intentional
offense, he was not thin-skinned at a piece of pleasantry, and had
none of that stiff, sensitive dignity, so troublesome to one's self
and friends.

Now, Jane and Mary were always bantering me because I was short, and
inclined to be--in fact--round, but I did not care. It made them
laugh, and their laughing was so contagious it made me laugh, too, and
we all enjoyed it. I would give a pound sterling any time for a good
laugh; and that, I think, is why I have always been--round.

So, upon entering, I said:

"His grace, the Duke of Suffolk, ladies."

They each made a sweeping courtesy, with hand on breast, and gravely
saluted him:

"Your grace! good even'."

Brandon's bow was as deep and graceful, if that were possible, as
theirs, and when he moved on into the room it was with a little halt
in his step, and a big blowing out of the cheeks, in ludicrous
imitation of his late lamented predecessor, that sent the girls into
peals of soft laughter and put us all at our ease immediately.

Ah! what a thing it is to look back upon; that time of life when one
finds his heaven in a ready laugh!

"Be seated all," said the princess. "This is to be without ceremony,
and only we four. No one knows a word of it. Did you tell any one, Sir
Edwin?"

"Perish the thought," I exclaimed.

She turned her face toward Brandon, "--but I know you did not. I've
heard how discreet you were about another matter. Well, no one knows
it then, and we can have a famous evening. You did not expect this,
Master Brandon, after my reception of you the other morning? Were you
not surprised when Sir Edwin told you?"

"I think I can safely say that I was prepared not to be surprised at
anything your highness might graciously conclude to do--after my first
experience," he answered, smiling.

"Indeed?" returned Mary with elevated eyebrows, and a rising
inflection on the last syllable of the word. It was now her turn for a
little surprise. "Well, we'll try to find some way to surprise you one
of these da