ore on that terrible day to trouble the mind of the
poor creature whose sufferings she was so anxious to assuage.

And then Lady Mason was left alone, and having now a partner in her
secret, slept sounder than she had done since the tidings first
reached her of Mr. Dockwrath's vengeance.

CHAPTER XLVII

THE GEM OF THE FOUR FAMILIES

And now we will go back to Noningsby. On that evening Graham ate his
pheasant with a relish although so many cares sat heavy on his mind,
and declared, to Mrs. Baker's great satisfaction, that the cook had
managed to preserve the bread sauce uninjured through all the perils
of delay which it had encountered.

"Bread sauce is so ticklish; a simmer too much and it's clean done
for," Mrs. Baker said with a voice of great solicitude. But she had
been accustomed perhaps to patients whose appetites were fastidious.
The pheasant and the bread sauce and the mashed potatoes, all
prepared by Mrs. Baker's own hands to be eaten as spoon meat,
disappeared with great celerity; and then, as Graham sat sipping the
solitary glass of sherry that was allowed to him, meditating that
he would begin his letter the moment the glass was empty, Augustus
Staveley again made his appearance.

"Well, old fellow," said he, "how are you now?" and he was
particularly careful so to speak as to show by his voice that his
affection for his friend was as strong as ever. But in doing so he
showed also that there was some special thought still present in his
mind,--some feeling which was serious in its nature if not absolutely
painful.

"Staveley," said the other, gravely, "I have acquired knowledge
to-day which I trust I may carry with me to my grave."

"And what is that?" said Augustus, looking round to Mrs. Baker as
though he thought it well that she should be out of the room before
the expected communication was made. But Mrs. Baker's attention was
so riveted by her patient's earnestness, that she made no attempt to
go.

"It is a wasting of the best gifts of Providence," said Graham, "to
eat a pheasant after one has really done one's dinner."

"Oh, that's it, is it?" said Augustus.

"So it is, sir," said Mrs. Baker, thinking that the subject quite
justified the manner.

"And of no use whatsoever to eat only a little bit of one as a man
does then. To know what a pheasant is you should have it all to
yourself."

"So you should, sir," said Mrs. Baker, quite delighted and very much
in earnest.

"And