ght be
regarded as good, if only in putting off childish things he had taken
up things which were better than childish.

On the very first day of his arrival he made his way over to
Allington. He did not walk on this occasion as he had used to do in
the old happy days. He had an idea that it might not be well for him
to go into Mrs Dale's drawing-room with the dust of the road on his
boots, and the heat of the day on his brow. So he borrowed a horse
and rode over, taking some pride in a pair of spurs which he had
bought in Piccadilly, and in his kid gloves, which were brought out
new for the occasion. Alas, alas! I fear that those two years in
London have not improved John Eames; and yet I have to acknowledge
that John Eames is one of the heroes of my story.

On entering Mrs Dale's drawing-room he found Mrs Dale and her eldest
daughter. Lily at the moment was not there, and as he shook hands
with the other two, of course, he asked for her.

"She is only in the garden," said Bell. "She will be here directly."

"She has walked across to the Great House with Mr Crosbie," said Mrs
Dale; "but she is not going to remain. She will be so glad to see
you, John! We all expected you to-day."

"Did you?" said Johnny, whose heart had been plunged into cold water
at the mention of Mr Crosbie's name. He had been thinking of Lilian
Dale ever since his friend had left him on the railway platform; and,
as I beg to assure all ladies who may read my tale, the truth of his
love for Lily had moulted no feather through that unholy liaison
between him and Miss Roper. I fear that I shall be disbelieved in
this; but it was so. His heart was and ever had been true to Lilian,
although he had allowed himself to be talked into declarations of
affection by such a creature as Amelia Roper. He had been thinking
of his meeting with Lily all the night and throughout the morning,
and now he heard that she was walking alone about the gardens
with a strange gentleman. That Mr Crosbie was very grand and very
fashionable he had heard, but he knew no more of him. Why should Mr
Crosbie be allowed to walk with Lily Dale? And why should Mrs Dale
mention the circumstance as though it were quite a thing of course?
Such mystery as there was in this was solved very quickly.

"I'm sure Lily won't object to my telling such a dear friend as you
what has happened," said Mrs Dale. "She is engaged to be married to
Mr Crosbie."

The water into which Johnny's heart