hed and
sorrowful.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

AN "AT HOME."

Hilary asked her father many questions about the new acquaintance, and
took great interest in what he had to tell.

"Clever fellow, clever fellow; one of the most promising of the younger
men. I expect great things of him. Yes, lame, poor fellow! a terrible
pity! Paralysis of the lower limbs, I hear. He can never be better,
though I believe there is no reason why he should get worse. It's a sad
handicap to such a young man, and, of course, it gives a melancholy cast
to his mind. It was kind of him to entertain you so nicely--very kind
indeed."

Hilary gave her head a little tilt of displeasure. Why should it be
"kind" of Mr Rayner to talk to her? Father seemed to think she was a
stupid little girl, on whom no grown-up person would care to waste their
time; but Mr Rayner had not seemed at all bored by her conversation,
and when some friends had tried to take him away, he had excused
himself, and preferred to remain in the quiet corner.

When Tuesday came, and Mr Rayner arrived, Mr Bertrand was busy
writing, and despatched his daughter to amuse his guest until he should
have finished his letters. "Tell him I won't be more than ten minutes;
and he must excuse me, like a good fellow, for I am obliged to catch
this post," he said, and Hilary went into the long drawing-room, to find
her new friend seated on the couch, with his crutches by his side. He
was looking better than when she had seen him last, and had a
mischievous smile on his face.

"Good morning, Miss Two Shoes!" he cried, and Hilary gave a little start
of consternation.

"Oh, h-ush! They don't know--I didn't tell them. Miss Carr would never
stop talking about it, and father would tease me to death. I only said
that I had forgotten to put the slippers on coming home, which was quite
true. It was rather awkward, for they belonged to Miss Carr. She
insisted on lending them to me at the last moment. The servants would
be surprised when they found them behind the curtains the next morning,
wouldn't they?"

"They would!" said Mr Rayner drily, and there was a peculiar smile upon
his face which Hilary could not understand. "So they were not yours,
after all. I thought the size seemed rather--excessive! I promise not
to betray you if you would rather keep the secret, but if the story gave
as much pleasure to your father as it has done to me, it seems rather
selfish to keep it from him.