fit, turned her lustrous eyes
upon the guest.

"We shall all miss you," she said, softly. "You've been a lesson to all
of us."

"Lesson?" he repeated, flushing.

"It has improved our behavior so, having a lord in the house," said Miss
Rose, with painful humility. "I'm sure father hasn't been like the same
man since you've been here."

"What d'ye mean Miss?" demanded the farmer, hotly.

"Don't speak like that before his lordship, father," said his daughter,
hastily. "I'm not blaming you; you're no worse than the other men about
here. You haven't had an opportunity of learning before, that's all. It
isn't your fault."

"Learning?" bellowed the farmer, turning an inflamed visage upon his
apprehensive guest. "Have you noticed anything wrong about my behavior?"

"Certainly not," said his lordship, hastily.

"All I know is," continued Miss Rose, positively, "I wish you were going
to stay here another six months for father's sake."

"Look here--" began Mr. Rose, smiting the table.

"And Annie's," said Jane, raising her voice above the din. "I don't know
which has improved the most. I'm sure the way they both drink their tea
now--"

Mr. Rose pushed his chair back loudly and got up from the table. For
a moment he stood struggling for words, then he turned suddenly with
a growl and quitted the room, banging the door after him in a fashion
which clearly indicated that he still had some lessons to learn.

"You've made your father angry," said his lordship.

"It's for his own good," said Miss Rose. "Are you really sorry to leave
us?"

"Sorry?" repeated the other. "Sorry is no word for it."

"You will miss father," said the girl.

He sighed gently.

"And Annie," she continued.

He sighed again, and Jane took a slight glance at him cornerwise.

"And me too, I hope," she said, in a low voice.

"_Miss_ you!" repeated his lordship, in a suffocating voice. "I should
miss the sun less."

"I am so glad," said Jane, clasping her hands; "it is so nice to feel
that one is not quite forgotten. Of course, I can never forget you. You
are the only nobleman I have ever met."

"I hope that it is not only because of that," he said, forlornly.

Miss Rose pondered. When she pondered her eyes increased in size and
revealed unsuspected depths.

"No-o," she said at length, in a hesitating voice.

"Suppose that I were not what I am represented to be," he said slowly.
"Suppose that, instead of being Lord Fairmount, I were me