to be able to bear his friend company,
promptly accepted the offer, and Manners began to look upon the
prospect of his stay at Ashby with a little more hopefulness.

Sir George Vernon was too hospitable a host to let even De la Zouch
depart again upon the self-same day upon which he had arrived. He
would not tolerate the idea for a single moment; there must be a
carousal and a dance at night in honour of the departing guests, and
then they would be at liberty to depart upon the first grey streaks of
dawn if they were so minded.

De la Zouch, well aware that the King of the Peak was the soul
of hospitality itself, had calculated upon the offer, and at once
accepted it; while the baron, not content with what he had already
done, when the morrow came, drew the designing Stanley with himself
into his private room, and, under the pretext of taking counsel with
him, kept him by his side, leaving the way open for Manners to have a
farewell afternoon with Dorothy.

De la Zouch proposed a ride, and as there appeared to be little
prospect of enjoying undisturbed peace at Haddon, the two lovers fell
in with the suggestion, and very soon after the mid-day meal they met,
booted and spurred, at the gate of the hall.

"Aye, aye, there," hailed a voice, as Manners was helping Dorothy off
the riding-stone into the saddle, "whither away so gaily?"

"Aye, Everard," replied his friend, as he turned round and saw who it
was that called. "Hurry up, we are off for a ride."

"Shall I come, too?" he inquired, as he hastened up and stood beside
them.

"Do," returned Dorothy. "Make haste, though, for time is precious with
us now."

"I will not keep you waiting, fair Mistress Dorothy," he gallantly
responded; "I will follow thee anon. Which way am I to come, Bakewell,
Cromford, or which?"

"Oh, Cromford," replied Sir Henry quickly. "See how restive my horse
is, he will bolt off if I try to hold him in much longer. Are we
ready? Let us go then; time is short, remember," and giving the rein
to his steed he started off at a good pace, whilst the others followed
quickly in his wake.

It was a beautiful day, and the scenery around was so majestically
grand that even its familiarity did not detract from its beauty in the
eyes of the little party as it rode laughingly by. The early leaves
were just beginning to drop from off the parent stems; the ferns and
bracken, which grew in abundance on either side of the road, were just
assuming their