had seen Lady Rockminster, the old
lady, who did not admire him, had been very pitiless and abrupt with our
young friend, and perhaps Pen expected when he came to Baymouth to find
Laura installed in her house in the quality of humble companion, and
treated no better than himself. When she heard of his arrival she came
running downstairs, and I am not sure that she did not embrace him in
the presence of Calverley and Coldstream: not that those gentlemen ever
told: if the fractus orbis had come to a smash, if Laura, instead of
kissing Pen, had taken her scissors and snipped off his head--Calverley
and Coldstream would have looked on impavidly, without allowing a grain
of powder to be disturbed by the calamity.

Laura had so much improved in health and looks that Pen could not
but admire her. The frank and kind eyes which met his, beamed with
good-health; the cheek which he kissed blushed with beauty. As he looked
at her, artless and graceful, pure and candid, he thought he had never
seen her so beautiful. Why should he remark her beauty now so much, and
remark too to himself that he had not remarked it sooner? He took her
fair trustful hand and kissed it fondly: he looked in her bright clear
eyes, and read in them that kindling welcome which he was always sure to
find there. He was affected and touched by the tender tone and the pure
sparkling glance; their innocence smote him somehow and moved him.

"How good you are to me, Laura--sister!" said Pen; "I don't deserve that
you should--that you should be so kind to me."

"Mamma left you to me," she said, stooping down and brushing his
forehead with her lips hastily. "You know you were to come to me when
you were in trouble, or to tell me when you were very happy: that was
our compact, Arthur, last year, before we parted. Are you very happy
now, or are you in trouble--which is it?" and she looked at him with
an arch glance of kindness. "Do you like going into Parliament! Do you
intend to distinguish yourself there? How I shall tremble for your first
speech!"

"Do you know about the Parliament plan, then?" Pen asked.

"Know?--all the world knows! I have heard it talked about many times.
Lady Rockminster's doctor talked about it to-day. I daresay it will be
in the Chatteris paper to-morrow. It is all over the county that Sir
Francis Clavering, of Clavering, is going to retire, in behalf of Mr.
Arthur Pendennis, of Fairoaks; and that the young and beautiful Miss
Blanche Am