y breeze
blowing--a considerably heavy sea thundering in and springing with jets
of white spray into the air--the sunlight shining along the yellow
houses of Brunswick Terrace, where there were cheerful bits of green
here and there in the balconies. Then the crowd was rather more gayly
dressed than an English crowd usually is; for women allow themselves a
little more latitude in the way of color during the Brighton season, and
on such a morning there was ample excuse for a display of sunshades. And
was it merely a wish to breathe the fresh-blowing wind and to listen to
the hissing withdrawal and recurrent roar of the waves that had induced
Lionel to ask his two companions to join in this slow march up and down?
Young men have their little vanities and weaknesses, like other folk.
Rumor had on more than one occasion coupled his name with that of some
fair damsel; what if he were to say now, "Well, if you will talk, here
is one worth talking about." He was conscious on this shining morning
that Miss Cunyngham--the more beautiful daughter of a beautiful
mother--was looking superb; he remembered what Miss Georgie had said
about Honnor's proud and graceful carriage. He knew a good many of the
people in this slow-moving assemblage; and he was not sorry they should
see him talking to this tall and handsome young Englishwoman--who also
appeared to have a numerous acquaintanceship.

"Why, you seem to know everybody, Mr. Moore?" she said to him, with a
smile.

"You would think all London was here this morning--it's really
astonishing!" he made answer.

Occasionally they stopped to have a chat with more particular friends;
and then Lionel would remain a little bit aside; though once or twice
Lady Cunyngham chose to introduce him, and that pleased him, he hardly
knew why. But at last she said,

"Well, I think we must be getting home. Properly speaking we have no
right to be in the prayer-book brigade at all, for we have not been to
church this morning."

Not unlikely the squire of these two ladies was rather loath to leave
this gay assemblage; but he was speedily consoled, for, to his
inexpressible joy, he found, when they got in-doors, that there was no
one else coming to lunch--these three were to be quite by themselves.
And of what did they not talk during this careless, protracted, idling
meal? Curiously enough, it was Nina, not Miss Burgoyne, who appeared to
have chiefly impressed the two visitors on the preceding evenin