e poor he was neighbourly; but it may be doubted whether
he would have thought much of Lady Mason if she had been less good
looking or less clever.

"Ah! I know how good you always are to me. But I'll tell you why I am
troubling you now. Lucius went off two days since to Liverpool."

"My grandson told me that he had left home."

"He is an excellent young man, and I am sure that I have every reason
to be thankful." Sir Peregrine, remembering the affair in Cowcross
Street, and certain other affairs of a somewhat similar nature,
thought that she had; but for all that he would not have exchanged
his own bright-eyed lad for Lucius Mason with all his virtues and all
his learning.

"And indeed I am thankful," continued the widow. "Nothing can be
better than his conduct and mode of life; but--"

"I hope he has no attraction at Liverpool, of which you disapprove."

"No, no; there is nothing of that kind. His attraction is--; but
perhaps I had better explain the whole matter. Lucius, you know, has
taken to farming."

"He has taken up the land which you held yourself, has he not?"

"Yes, and a little more; and he is anxious to add even to that. He is
very energetic about it, Sir Peregrine."

"Well; the life of a gentleman farmer is not a bad one; though in
his special circumstances I would certainly have recommended a
profession."

"Acting upon your advice I did urge him to go to the bar. But he has
a will of his own, and a mind altogether made up as to the line of
life which he thinks will suit him best. What I fear now is, that he
will spend more money upon experiments than he can afford."

"Experimental farming is an expensive amusement," said Sir Peregrine,
with a very serious shake of his head.

"I am afraid it is; and now he has gone to Liverpool to buy--guano,"
said the widow, feeling some little shame in coming to so
inconsiderable a conclusion after her somewhat stately prologue.

"To buy guano! Why could he not get his guano from Walker, as my man
Symonds does?"

"He says it is not good. He analyzed it, and--"

"Fiddlestick! Why didn't he order it in London, if he didn't like
Walker's. Gone to Liverpool for guano! I'll tell you what it is, Lady
Mason; if he intends to farm his land in that way, he should have a
very considerable capital at his back. It will be a long time before
he sees his money again." Sir Peregrine had been farming all his
life, and had his own ideas on the subject. He knew very wel