d it been I who was concerned.

"But I want to go and help the poor dear fellows, and to cheer them
and make their time pleasanter."

"I said you would be an ideal convalescent nurse. But what would
become of the pigs?"

"Oh, Edward could look after them. I think too little attention has
been paid to the poor boys who are getting well. I could read to them
and write their letters home for them," and she looked pathetically
sympathetic.

"Hubble-bubble, toil and trouble," quoted Sir Antony.

"Who for?" laughed Lord Tilchester, in his rough, gruff way.

"The recipients of the letters, who would certainly receive them in
the wrong envelopes," said Sir Antony. "I think, Tilchester, you had
better persuade Babykins to stay in England, for the sake of the peace
of many respectable and innocent families."

"How wicked you are to me," flashed Babykins.

"Just what you deserve," chuckled Lord Tilchester.

"What tiresome nonsense these people talk," said Sir Antony, calmly,
to me. "You and I were in the middle of an interesting problem
discussion, were we not? And now I have lost the thread."

"It does not in the least matter," I said.

The Duke, who was on the other side of me, did not care to be left
out, and persistently talked to me for the rest of lunch.

Sir Antony consumed his with the appreciation of a connoisseur. It
appeared to be the only thing which interested him.

Babykins, from the other side, did her utmost to engage him in a war
of wits, but he remained calm, with the air of a placid lion.

When we got outside in the great tent he came up to me.

"I am going to take you for a walk," he said--"a nice, cool walk in
the woods. Will you get your parasol?"

The Duke was at that moment fetching it for me from the hall table,
where I had left it.

"I do not know what we shall do to-day," I said, "I believe I am going
to play croquet."

"Oh no, you are not. It is much too hot, and you must see the woods.
They are historical, and--Here, take this parasol and let us start."
This last hurriedly, as the Duke was seen returning with mine.

I cannot say why I allowed myself to be dragged off like this. My
natural impulse has always been to do the opposite thing when ordered
by any one but grandmamma. But here I found myself walking meekly
beside my kinsman down a yew-bordered path, holding a mauve silk
parasol over my head which did not belong to me.

We did not speak until we got quite to the end, whe