care for that
kind of thing?'

'Most certainly. How can you doubt it?'

Buckland smiled, and gave no other reply.

'Ask Fanny to show you the way when you care to go.' And he left the
room.

CHAPTER IV

Sidwell had fallen into conversation with Mr. Moorhouse. Miss
Moorhouse, Mrs. Warricombe, and Louis were grouped in animated talk.
Observing that Fanny threw glances towards him from a lonely corner,
Peak went over to her, and was pleased with the smile he met. Fanny had
watched eyes, much brighter than Sidwell's; her youthful vivacity
blended with an odd little fashion of schoolgirl pedantry in a very
piquant way. Godwin's attempts at conversation with her were rather
awkward; he found it difficult to strike the suitable note, something
not too formal yet not deficient in respect.

'Do you think,' he asked presently, 'that I should disturb your father
if I went to him?'

'Oh, not at all! I often go and sit in the study at this time.'

'Will you show me the way?'

Fanny at once rose, and together they crossed the hall, passed through
a sort of anteroom connecting with a fernery, and came to the study
door. A tap was answered by cheerful summons, and Fanny looked in.

'Well, my ladybird? Ah, you are bringing Mr. Peak; come in, come in!'

It was a large and beautiful room, its wide windows, in a cushioned
recess, looking upon the lawn where the yew tree cast solemn shade. One
wall presented an unbroken array of volumes, their livery sober but
handsome; detached bookcases occupied other portions of the irregular
perimeter. Cabinets, closed and open, were arranged with due regard to
convenience. Above the mantelpiece hung a few small photographs, but
the wall-space at disposal was chiefly occupied with objects which
illustrated Mr. Warricombe's scientific tastes. On a stand in the light
of the window gleamed two elaborate microscopes, provocative of
enthusiasm in a mind such as Godwin's.

In a few minutes, Fanny silently retired. Her father, by no means
forward to speak of himself and his pursuits, was led in that direction
by Peak's expressions of interest, and the two were soon busied with
matters which had a charm for both. A collection of elvans formed the
starting-point, and when they had entered upon the wide field of
palaeontology it was natural for Mr. Warricombe to invite his guest's
attention to the species of _homalonotus_ which he had had the
happiness of identifying some ten years ago--a d