--Tennyson.

This was Bluebell's first acquaintance with a really grand English park,
and, during the long drive through it, she gazed in wondering delight at
the stately trees, heavy with summer foliage, the herds of deer, the calm
lake, with kingly swans gliding over it. Perhaps her greatest surprise
was that all this fair domain belonged to one individual. Why, the
richest "boss" in Canada possessed no more than a few acres of lawn and
pleasure ground, with ornamental trees and shrubs,--all looking new,--the
production of a self made man, grown rich within a few years. These
stately oaks and beeches must have seen generations live and die, lords
of the manor, and she began better to understand Harry's reluctance to
risk such an inheritance.

"Oh, they are exercising 'Hobbie,'" cried the children "Then we shall
have some rides."

Lord Bromley seldom presented himself to his guests till dinner-time.
Polite grooms of the chamber offered tea, etc., the housekeeper showed
visitors to their rooms. But on this occasion Mrs. Barrington was
virtually lady of the house, and, being too late to receive, was in
voluble conversation with a few persons already arrived.

Bluebell was not introduced to any one, and, her first sensations of
excited curiosity having subsided, began to feel as if she must stiffen
to her chair if no one would speak to her and break the spell. It was a
welcome relief when Adela exclaimed,--

"Mamma, may we go up to the nursery?"

"With all my heart, and take Miss Leigh."

The children darted off across a slippery oak hall, up a flight of stone
stairs with a velvety carpet, then along a passage leading to a private
staircase with a red baize door shutting it off. It opened into a long
low room, still keeping the name of nursery, and at each end were
bed-rooms, one for the two girls, the smaller for Bluebell.

"This is such a jolly place," cried Adela, who seemed to have left all
her primness at Brighton. "You have never seen the spring woods, nor the
amphitheatre, nor the waterfall!"

"Nor the terraces and gardens, nor the menagerie, nor dry pond," added
Mabel. "Oh, we could not show you everything in a fortnight. Shall we
come out now or after tea? It isn't laid yet. Let us have it out of
doors."

Bluebell was almost as eager as the children; and they spent the hot June
evening under the trees, listening to bird choruses and the rich solo of
a lingering nightingale.