ions before me; and fortunate it
is, for really I could not rise to the height of such lofty themes."

Skeff smiled pleasantly; her humility soothed him. He turned to the last
paragraph he had penned and re-read it.

"By the way," said Alice, carelessly, and certainly nothing was less
apropos to what they had been saying, though she commenced thus,--"by
the way, how did you find Tony looking,--improved, or the reverse?"

"Improved in one respect; fuller, browner, more manly, perhaps, but
coarser; he wants the--you know what I mean--he wants this!" and he
swayed his arm in a bold sweep, and stood fixed, with his hand extended.

"Ah, indeed!" said she, faintly.

"Don't you think so--don't you agree with me, Alice?"

"Perhaps to a certain extent I do," said she, diffidently.

"How could it be otherwise, consorting with such a set? You 'd not
expect to find it there?"

Alice nodded assent all the more readily that she had not the vaguest
conception of what "it" might mean.

"The fact is, Alice," said he, arising and walking the room with immense
strides, "Tony will always be Tony!"

"I suppose he will," said she, dryly.

"Yes; but you don't follow me. You don't appreciate my meaning. I
desired to convey this opinion, that Tony being one of those men
who cannot add to their own natures the gifts and graces which a man
acquires who has his successes with your sex--"

"Come, come, Skeff, you must neither be metaphysical nor improper.
Tony is a very fine boy,--only a boy, I acknowledge, but he has noble
qualities; and every year he lives will, I feel certain, but develop
them further."

"He won't stand the 'boy' tone any longer," said Skeff, dryly. "I tried
it, and he was down on me at once."

"What did he say when you told him we were here?" said she, carelessly,
while putting her papers in order.

"He was surprised."

"Was he pleased?"

"Oh, yes, pleased, certainly; he was rather afraid of meeting your
mother, though."

"Afraid of mamma! how could that be?"

"Some lesson or other she once gave him sticks in his throat; something
she said about presumption, I think."

"Oh, no, no; this is quite impossible,--I can't credit it."

"Well, it might be some fancy of his; for he has fancies, and very queer
ones too. One was about a godfather of mine. Come in,--what is it?"
cried he, as a knock came to the door.

"A soldier below stairs, sir, wishes to speak to you," said the waiter.

"Ah! something of im