Gerard Montagu:

" Well , dear , " Lady Kilpatrick said p leasantly , " perhaps you are right , but you have not answered my question . " " Oh , Montagu says ' she ' s lovely , she ' s divine , ' and all that sort of thing . Fact is , I believe he ' s in love Avith her . "

" Nonsense , Arthur . " " Well , mother , and Avhy shouldn ' t he he ? If her own relations take no notice of her , I don't see why other people shouldn't . I declare , ' ' the young lord went on , " I was quite ashamed of myself when I thought I

did now know ny own cousin , who Avas living amongst strangers because her own kith and kin forgot the ties of relationship . Besides , if it comes to that we oug ht to be very thankful to her for being a irl . "

g Her ladyship burst out laughing . " Well , you may laugh , mother , but if Lady Kilpatrick had had a son instead of a daughter father would have been plain Mr . Mandeville , and you Avould not have been Countess of Kilpatrick . "

Her Ladyship Avas silent—the shaft had gone home . Lord Chelmondiston saw his advantage and pressed it . " Mother , don't you think it would be kind to ask Muriel to come aud see

us ?" " Well , Arthur , I really don't knoAV . I will think about it . And now , dear boy , you must leave me , for it is half-past seven and I must dress for dinner . " " 1 say , mother , Montagu says Captain Falconbridgewith Avhom Muriel livesis

, , fifty if a day , and looks ever so much older , " the young fellow returned to remark , and then he left his mother to her OAVU reflections .

Her Ladyship did think about it , and the more she thought about it the more it seemed to her that they had acted unkindly to Lady Muriel . It is true they had written once to her since her mother ' s death , but the letter , she admitted , was not calculated to make a very

good impression . They had somehow looked down upon Muriel's mother because she was not born in the purple , but what did they knoAV about her 1 Nothing ! She Avas a perfect lady , every one said that , and her only crime Avas her poverty , Avhich , coupled Avith the fact that she had Avon Lord Kilpatrick ' s heart ( who every one knew Avas a scamp ) was sufficient for what

—to make the relations of her child neglect her as if she were basely born . Then , too , there Avas this attachment of Mr . Montagu ' s—there might be truth in it . But if there Avere , what then ? Who was to blame ? If Lady Muriel married out of her circle it would certainly be the fault

of the family . Mr . Montagu was certainly a very worthy young man , very worthy indeed . They OAved him a debt of gratitude for saving Arthur ' s life , but still Lady Muriel must not be suffered to marry a corn merchant . She would invite Lady

Muriel to come and see them at Sneyd Park , and she should accompany them to their place in Ireland , Castle Court , where she was born ; she should be introduced to people in her OAvn sphere of life , and this dream ( if there Avere any dreaming on her

part ) should pass away as all dreams do . Having satisfied herselfas to her goodness of heart in thinking of the poor orphan ( she Avould have been the last to admit that family pride and noblesse oblige had anything to do with it ) , her Ladyship resolved to invite Lady Muriel to Sneyd Park , and Lord Kilpatrick offering no objection—he

never did—a missive was sent to Westonsuper-Mare accordingly . It came a day or two after the conversation betAveen mother and son related above , and it found John Falconbridge sitting on the sands , and Lady Muriel near him

reading " Lothair . " " Uncle , are all the great people beautiful and talented as Disraeli describes them ? I should like to know more about the people he describes , to judge for myself . "

" Would you ! " he said ; and looked at her curiously . " I ' ve had a letter . Would you like to see it V " Yes , dear , if you like . " " It ' s from Lady Kilpatrick !"

John Falconbridge started and turned pale , but , collecting himself , said sadly : " I suppose to ask you to go there . " " Why , hoAv did you guess that 1 " " I've long had a presentiment that they

would . " " They ask me to come and make a long visit . Isn't it kind of Lady Kilpatrick 1 I am so happy 1 "