Tom's slight figure aside with
a commanding move of his broad hand, and said, "I beg your pardon, upon
my word, though I don't know what for."

"Nor I," said Meta, rallying herself, and smiling. "You have no pardon
to beg. You will know it all to-morrow."

"Then I know it now," said Harry, sheltering his face by leaning over
the back of a chair, and taming the hearty gaiety of his voice. "Well
done, Meta; there's nothing like old June in all the world! You may take
my word for it, and I knew you would have the sense to find it out."

They were well out of sight, and Meta only answered by a good tight
squeeze of his kind hand between both her own. Tom, suddenly recovering
from his displeasure at being thrust aside, whisked round, dropped on a
footstool before Meta, looked up in her face, and said, "Hallo!" in
such utter amazement that there was nothing for it but to laugh more
uncontrollably than was convenient. "Come along, Tom," said Harry,
pulling him up by force, "she does not want any of your nonsense. We
will not plague her now."

"Thank you, Harry," said Meta. "I cannot talk rationally just yet. Don't
think me unkind, Tom."

Tom sat in a sort of trance all the rest of the evening.

Lord Cosham talked to Norman, who felt as if he were being patronised
on false pretences, drew into his shell, and displayed none of his
"first-rate abilities."

Dr. Spencer discussed his architecture with the archdeacon; but his
black eyes roamed heedfully after the young gentleman and lady, in the
opposite corners of the room; and, as he drove home afterwards with
the youths, he hummed scraps of Scottish songs, and indulged in silent
smiles.

Those at home had been far more demonstrative. Dr. May had arrived,
declaring himself the proudest doctor in her Majesty's dominions, and
Ethel needed nothing but his face to explain why, and tell her that dear
old June's troubles were over, and their pretty little Meta was their
own--a joy little looked for to attend their foundation-stone.

The dreaded conference with Lord Cosham had proved highly gratifying.
There might be something in the fact that he could not help it,
which assisted in his ready acquiescence, but he was also a sensible
right-minded man, who thought that the largeness of Meta's fortune was
no reason that it should be doubled; considered that, in the matter of
connection, the May family had the advantage, and saw in Norman; a young
man whom any one might have plea