t as long as I remember anything. All this
fine rolling of turf, and trimming up of the place, does not make much
difference to you, old fellow, does it? You don't look altered since I
saw you last, when old Jervis was letting the place go to rack and ruin.
So they have a new entrance--very handsome conservatory--flowers--the
banker does things in style. There," as Norman helped him off with his
plaid, "wrap yourself up well, don't get cold. The sun is gone in, and I
should not wonder if the rain were coming after all. I'll not be longer
than I can help."

Dr. May disappeared from his son's sight through the conservatory,
where, through the plate-glass, the exotics looked so fresh and perfumy,
that Norman almost fancied that the scent reached him. "How much poor
Margaret would enjoy one of those camellias," thought he, "and these
people have bushels of them for mere show. If I were papa, I should be
tempted to be like Beauty's father, and carry off one. How she would
admire it!"

Norman had plenty of time to meditate on the camellias, and then to
turn and speculate on the age of the cedar, whether it could have been
planted by the monks of Stoneborough Abbey, to whom the Grange had
belonged, brought from Lebanon by a pilgrim, perhaps; and then he tried
to guess at the longevity of cedars, and thought of asking Margaret, the
botanist of the family. Then he yawned, moved the horse a little
about, opined that Mr. Rivers must be very prosy, or have some abstruse
complaint, considered the sky, and augured rain, buttoned another button
of his rough coat, and thought of Miss Cleveland's dinner. Then he
thought there was a very sharp wind, and drove about till he found a
sheltered place on the lee side of the great cedar, looked up at it, and
thought it would be a fine subject for verses, if Mr. Wilmot knew of it,
and then proceeded to consider what he should make of them.

In the midst he was suddenly roused by the deep-toned note of a dog, and
beheld a large black Newfoundland dog leaping about the horse in great
indignation. "Rollo! Rollo!" called a clear young voice, and he saw two
ladles returning from a walk. Rollo, at the first call, galloped back to
his mistress, and was evidently receiving an admonition, and promising
good behaviour. The two ladies entered the house, while he lay down on
the step, with his lion-like paw hanging down, watching Norman with a
brilliant pair of hazel eyes. Norman, after a little more won