art, with little household cares to
look after?

It was a strange labyrinth these thoughts led him into, and he soon lost
his way completely, unable to satisfy himself whether Alice might
not lose in fascination when no longer surrounded by all the splendid
appliances of that high station she adorned, or whether her native
gracefulness would not be far more attractive when her life became
ennobled by duties. A continual comparison of Alice and Dolly would rise
to his mind; nothing could be less alike, and yet there they were, in
incessant juxtaposition; and while he pictured Alice in the humble manse
of the minister, beautiful as he had ever seen her, he wondered whether
she would be able to subdue her proud spirit to such lowly ways, and
make of that thatched cabin the happy home that Dolly had made it.
His experiences of life were not very large, but one lesson they had
certainly taught him,--it was, to recognize in persons of condition,
when well brought up, a great spirit of accommodation. In the varied
company of Sir Arthur's house he had constantly found that no one
submitted with a better grace to accidental hardships than he whose
station had usually elevated him above the risks of their occurrence,
and that in the chance roughings of a sportsman's life it was the born
gentleman--Sybarite it might be at times--whose temper best sustained
him in all difficulties, and whose gallant spirit bore him most
triumphantly over the crosses and cares that beset him. It might not be
a very logical induction that led him to apply this reasoning to Alice,
but he did so, and in so doing he felt very little how the time went
over, till he found himself on the terrace at Lyle Abbey.

Led on by old habit, he passed in without ringing the bell, and was
already on his way to the drawing-room when he met Hailes the butler.

In the midst of a shower of rejoicings at seeing him again,--for he was
a great favorite with the household,--Hailes hastened to show him into
the dining-room, where, dinner over, Sir Arthur sat in an easy-chair at
the fire, alone, and sound asleep. Roused by the noise of the opening
door, Sir Arthur started and looked up; nor was he, indeed, very full
awake while Tony blundered out his excuses for disturbing him.

"My dear Tony, not a word of this. It is a real pleasure to see you. I
was taking a nap, just because I had nothing better to do. We are all
alone here now, and the place feels strange enough in the