ted with so much fervor that
anything was better than London, and the Court was the most charming
place he had ever seen. Of the two Charlie seemed to feel the ennui
much the more severely. Yet, while Mr. Wentworth spoke of returning to
town in a few weeks, Charlie asseverated that he had paid his last
visit to that revolting and disappointing place. Lady Merceron wished
she had Uncle Van by her side to explain these puzzling
inconsistencies. However, there was a bright side to the affair: the
presence of the young men was a godsend to poor Millie, who, by reason
of the depressed state of agriculture, had been obliged this year to go
without her usual six weeks of London in the season.

"And she never grumbles about it," said Lady Merceron admiringly. "She
looks after her district, and takes a ride, and plays tennis, when she
can get a game, poor girl, and is always cheerful and happy. She'd be a
treasure of a wife to any man."

"You'd better persuade Charlie of that, Lady Merceron."

"Oh, Charlie never thinks of such a thing as marrying. He thinks of
nothing but his antiquities."

"Doesn't he?" asked Calder, with apparent sympathy and a covert sad
amusement.

"Mr. Wentworth," said Mrs. Marland, approaching, "I believe it's
actually a fact that you've been here a week and have never yet been to
the Pool."

At this fateful word, Calder looked embarrassed, Charlie raised his
head from the hammock, and Millie glanced involuntarily towards him.

"We must take you," pursued Mrs. Marland, "this very evening. You'll
come, Miss Bushell?"

"I don't think I care very much about the Pool," said Millie.

"We won't let Mr. Merceron take you in his canoe this time."

Charlie rolled out of the hammock and came up to them.

"You must take us to the Pool. I don't believe you've been there since
you came back. Poor Agatha will quite---"

"Agatha?" exclaimed Calder.

"Agatha Merceron, you know. Why, haven't you heard---?"

"Oh, ah! Yes, of course. I beg your pardon."

"I hate that beastly Pool," said Charlie.

"How can you?" smiled Mrs. Marland. "You used to spend hours there
every evening."

Charlie glanced uneasily at Calder, who turned very red.

"Times have changed, have they?" Mrs. Marland asked archly. "You've got
tired of looking in vain for Agatha?"

"Oh, all right," said Charlie crossly, "we'll go after tea."

Anything seemed better than this rallying mood of Mrs. Marland's.

Presently the two young men