ll health and happiness for
many long years among them. Mrs Huntingdon could not trust herself to
speak, but she held out her hand to him, which he took as gently in his
own as if it had been some article of ornamental glass of a peculiarly
brittle nature, and then saluted it with a fervent kiss; after which,
rather abashed at his own proceeding, he shrank back, and allowed the
happy travellers to make their way upstairs. But he could not be
satisfied with having given so partial a vent to his feelings. So, when
the hall was again all his own, he began to trip round it in a measured
sort of dance, to the intense amusement of Julia and Walter, who were
looking over the banisters from above on the performer, who was not
conscious at the moment of being so observed. On the old man went,
waxing more and more energetic, till at last he swayed himself into the
centre of the hall, and gave expression to the vehemence of his feelings
in a complicated sort of movement which he intended for a jump or
spring, but which brought him down on all fours, amidst a burst of
irrepressible laughter from the young people who were looking on. A
little disconcerted, Harry was just recovering his feet, when the
parrot, who had learned a few short phrases in times past, principally
from Walter, and had now been eyeing Harry's movements, with his grey
head on one side, and his thoughtful eye twinkling restlessly,
exclaimed, in an almost sepulchral voice, "What's up now?" The old man
stared comically at the unexpected speaker, and then said, as he brushed
the dust off his knees, "What's up now? why, you stupid old bird,
there's a great deal that's up now. I'm up now, though I was down a
minute ago. And Miss Julia as was and Master Walter's up now, for
they're up on the landing a-laughing at me. And the dear old missus is
up now; she's up in her room with master, and we don't want her to be
down in spirits no more. There, Polly, I've answered your question, and
answered it well, I think."

Never did a happier party gather round the dinner-table at Flixworth
Manor; never did the old butler ply his office with a readier hand and a
brighter countenance. Dinner over, and all being grouped together in
the drawing-room, where many loving words had passed, Walter turned to
his father and said, "I have two requests to make to you, dear father."

"Well, my boy, what are they? they must be strange and unreasonable
indeed if I refuse to grant the