nts that he was
very curious to see her working-room.

His question to the tutor judiciously lasted till twelve, when he
dropped in to consult Captain Duncombe about horse-hire in London;
and that gentleman, who had been undergoing a course of political
economy all the morning, eagerly pounced on him for a tour of his
stables, which lasted till luncheon was due, and he could casually
enter the dining-room, where Lady Tyrrell held out her hand good-
naturedly to him, laughing at the blankness he could not entirely
conceal. "Only me!" she said. "It can't be helped! Poor Lenore
caught such a dreadful sore throat last night, that I have shut her
up in her room with a mustard poultice."

"Indeed! I am very sorry."

"You may well look horrified! You were the guilty party, I suspect.
Taking her all across the park under those dank trees!"

He coloured up to the eyes, little expecting to be thus convicted;
but Mrs. Duncombe came to his aid. "My impartiality would impute
the damage to her standing about with those wretched little dogs of
mine."

"It is your climate," said Mrs. Tallboys. "In our dry atmosphere
there would be no risk with a far lower temperature."

"I hope it is nothing serious," said Frank, anxiously.

"I hope so too," said Lady Tyrrell, looking archly into his face,
which had not learnt such impenetrability as poor Lenore's.

"No; but really?" he said, in anxiety that would not be rallied
away.

"This is the way," said Lady Tyrrell. "Young gentlemen persuade
young ladies to do the most imprudent things--saunter about in the
cold after skating, and dawdle under trees, and then wonder when
they catch cold.--Do they do such things in your country, Mrs.
Tallboys, and expect the mammas and elder sisters to be gratified?"

"Mammas and elder sisters are at a discount with you, are not they?"
said Mrs. Duncombe.

"Our young women are sufficient to protect themselves without our
showing tacit distrust, and encumbering them with guardianship,"
returned the Professor.

"Mr. Charnock wishes we had reached that point," said Lady Tyrrell.

She had put him completely out of countenance. He had not supposed
her aware of his having been Lenore's companion, and was not certain
whether her sister had not after all confided in her, or if he
himself had not been an unconscious victim. The public banter
jarred upon him; and while Cecil was making inquiries into the
extent of the young ladies' privileges in