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first. For if there is a circumstance calculated to breed mutual detestation in the minds of two young people, it is the knowledge that their respective parents have destined them for each other.'

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'Undoubtedly so,' acquiesced Sir Tripton. Now I mean kindle the first spark of love for Algy in Agatha's bosom directly we get home. I shall lead her by the hand into the library, and, in a voice trembling with suppressed emotion, I shall ask her if she is particularly anxious to bring her father's gray hairs in sorrow to the grave-not that I've got any,' hurriedly interpolated the old beau, as he gracefully ran his fingers through his dyed locks. Mere figure of speech. Now I think I may safely predict that Agatha's reply will be in the negative. beware of young Algernon Warriner," I shall say. "Fall in love with any male of the human species but that particular young man, and receive a father's blessing. But fall in love with that particular young man, and know the bitterness of a father's curse."'

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'But is not that carrying the doctrine of contrariety a little too far?' asked Lady Cecilia, with a languid smile.

Not in the least. Was it not the forbidden fruit that was most longed for? She'll dream of him all night, and wake go to bed, up desperately in love with him in the morning. And if you, my dear Lady Cecilia, will only pursue a similar course with Algy regarding Agatha, the two will be ready to rush into each other's arms at the with mutual protestations of unfirst opportunity, dying love on their lips.'

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'But are you quite sure Agatha may not be secretly contemplating a little game of matrimony on her own account?' said Lady Cecilia. 'Girls, you know, especially those

without mothers, sometimes arrive at such conclusions independently of paternal assistance.'

O dear, no! Besides, even if she has, directly I tell her that she is quite at liberty to marry any one but Algy, she won't care two pins for any one else. These young foolish things all know ing that true love never runs and believe in the hackneyed saygine that no love which does run smooth; and conversely they imasmooth can be true, or, what is more taking to their ideas, romantic. And if it is not for the sake large majority of cases, for some of money or romance, it is, in a trifling reason that girls marry. If you could get half a dozen Palace of Truth, and ask them young married women into the one after the other why they had entered into the holy bonds of wedlock, you would get these answers, or something like them -No. 1: "I married because papa was so ridiculous as to object to my dancing five times in the evening with the same man, and I thought if I married I'd be able to do as I pleased in such matters.' 22 No. 2: "I married because Georgie Smith got engaged, and I was determined shouldn't be married before me." she No. 3: widows' caps are so sweetly be"I married because coming, and I wanted to take the first step towards qualifying for one." No. 4: "I married because I was afraid people would think I had never been asked." No. 5: "I married because I loved-"

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old-fashioned reason at last; it is Ah, there you have the good quite refreshing,' said Lady Cein her chair, looking at her ancilia, who had been leaning back cient adorer over the top of her fan, and lazily condescending to be amused by his volatile prattle, as she had been on occasions of

this kind for the last quarter of a century.

'Don't be in such a hurry, my dear Lady Cecilia. The fair confessor was going to say "another." In other words, married out of spite. But seriously, and to return to our former subject, are you sure Master Algy has not already chosen for himself? I've answered for my child; can you answer for yours?'

'O, quite. Algernon is not one of those young men who find a dart in every pretty face. When he once gives his love I feel certain it will be given for ever and aye, and people capable of giving such love as this are very chary of bestowing it. Besides, what opportunity has he had of losing his heart, even if it were of the most susceptible nature, which I am sure it is not? He went straight from school to his regiment; and for the two years between joining and going out to the Crimea he was, when not engaged with his professional duties, too much engrossed in field sports for falling in love. He is not likely to have seen any especially fascinating young damsel in the Crimea, I should think; and to imagine that at Puddleton, where he has been since his return, there can be any girl for whom a son of mine could care is too preposterous.'

'Of course it is,' acquiesced the old dandy. We may safely dismiss from our minds all fear of danger from Buggledon, or whatever the name of the place is. And now having satisfactorily disposed of all obstacles, we may look on the matter as an accomplished fact. Ah, Lady Cecilia, "marriages are made in heaven.' And "heaven is here, where Juliet is."'

Here our Romeo, who had 'just enough of learning to misquote,' shot a furious aillade at

the fortress which had withstood his twenty-five years' siege.

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'Well,' said Lady Cecilia, calmly ignoring the tender glance, Algernon will arrive in the middle of the day. You and Agatha had better come and lunch with us.'

The invitation was accepted; and Lady Cecilia, being tired, anachronistically wished her hostess good-night' at three o'clock in the morning, and was escorted to her carriage by Sir Tripton.

"Good-night, my dear Lady Cecilia,' he tenderly murmured, as he pressed her hand through the open window of the brougham.

You should say "good-morning," was the reply. It is broad day.'

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No; not when you are going away,' said the old beau, looking unutterable things. "Your ab

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sence makes the night, your presence brings the day.' Consequently Night, black browed Night, now frowns upon me as your horses, like the steeds of Phaeton, are about to bear away the bright luminary which will not again gild my path of life until-I turn up at lunch to-morrow.'

This anti-climax was caused by the steeds of Phaeton making a sudden snatch forward at their collars in their anxiety to get home, and carrying off the bright luminary of Sir Tripton's existence, and very nearly his toes as well.

Without the slightest hesitation, however, Sir Tripton declined the Juggernautic performance of crushing himself or any portion of himself beneath his idol, and, nimbly skipping backwards, stood fondly watching the hind wheels until they turned a

corner.

As Sir Tripton's dyed locks pressed his pillow a couple of

hours later, the coming event, as he regarded his daughter's betrothal to Algernon Warriner, produced in him a frame of mind which may best be described as jubilant.

Now why all this self-congratulation? For really the disposal of a good-looking young heiress to a young gentleman of moderate means and expectations is not a thing of such difficulty as to render its accomplishment a matter of rejoicing on the part of the young lady's father, whatever the feelings of the young gentleman's parents may be. The answer lies rather deeper than we have yet penetrated into Sir Tripton's nature. His constant regard for Lady Cecilia was about the most reputable element of his composition, inasmuch as it had been the least variable. In the youthful heyday of his career as a man of fashion, Lady Cecilia was the only woman he had ever met with whom he felt he could settle down as a respectable member of society; and now in his frivolous old age, when frivolity was indulged in only because it was second nature, and not for the pleasure it gave, there was still the same conviction that Lady Cecilia was the only one for whom he could feel that love which would sweeten a more serious and consequently a better mode of life. Or shall we put it another way, and say, gild the bitter pill of that old age which could not be staved off, however much it might be disguised, by dentists, perruquiers, tailors, and vendors of hairdye?

CHAPTER XII.

THE meeting between mother and son was affectionate, and Lady Cecilia was unusually demonstrative over it. Her heart, though desperately full of worldliness, was

still a mother's heart, and as such it could not but swell with pure loving pride as she surveyed her handsome and gallant young son. There is no such health-restorer as happiness, and for the last few days Algernon Warriner had lived in an Elysium. His face, when Lady Cecilia had last seen it, had been wan and drawn with months of suffering, but now the glow of health was once more on his cheek.

'If Agatha doesn't lose her heart to him, she hasn't got one,' she thought. You will meet some old friends at luncheon, Algernon,' she added aloud, with considerably more meaning in her words than met the ear addressed.

'Old friends?' said Algernon gaily; 'delighted to hear it. I believe in "auld lang syne." Who are they?'

Sir Tripton Madingley and his daughter. This is her first season.'

'Sir Tripton, eh?" said Algernon, laughing, for the old beau had always been a joke with him.

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And what's the daughter grown like? I haven't seen her since she was a little girl in frocks. should think chaperon to a marriageable young lady was not exactly old Sir Tripton's most congenial rôle.'

Agatha is a very nice girl; seems to be admired; but she's hardly my style of beauty, and hårdly yours, I should think,' replied Lady Cecilia carelessly; for well did she know that this was one of those cases in which 'faint praise' does not 'damn.' It is much better to expect little and be agreeably surprised, than to expect much and be disappointed. 'At all events,' continued Lady Cecilia, 'it will be quite refreshing to you to meet people in society again; for of course, Algernon, you have no acquaintances amongst the people of Puddleton.'

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'Haven't I, though!' said Algernon warmly. Amongst others there's as fine a specimen of a hearty old English gentleman as I ever met with a jolly old boy of the name of Bolitho.'

'Never heard of him,' said Lady Cecilia, as if her words were equivalent to a sentence of social ostracism. 'But now that I do hear of him, his name gives one the idea that he's always dancing a hornpipe.'

Well, he's jolly enough, I can assure you, without that perpetual motion.'

'Very likely. Jollity is by no means an unusual concomitant of vulgarity,' said Lady Cecilia superciliously.

'But he is not vulgar,' retorted Algernon, with warmth. So be it, Algernon. arguments over trifles are. not vulgar.'

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'No; unless goodness of heart, unbounded generosity, love of his fellow-creatures and of his country are vulgar; and then is he the vulgarest creature that ever walked the earth.'

'Well, I have heard of love at first sight, Algernon, and I believe there can be such a thing; but friendship I should have imagined was a sentiment of a somewhat slower growth. If, however, there was a spot in England unfavourable to the rapid development of this mushroomlike friendship in the breast of a son of mine, I should have thought that spot was Puddleton. Friendship, especially sudden friendship, between two people is generally born of a congeniality in tastes and pursuits; and that you should find a kindred spirit in Puddleton is to me a surprise, and I admit not a pleasant one. Pray have you any more Puddleton friends besides Mr. Bolero concluded Lady Cecilia, who had a contemp

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Dear me, Algernon! Mayor of Puddleton and his family! Well, I confess that does not raise the same lively picture to my mind's eye as the name of your friend Mr. Bopeepo did.'

'Well then, my dear mother, I'll draw the family picture for you.'

'If you consider it necessary to do so, Algernon, or it will afford you the least pleasure, I shall submit to the delineation with at all events the consolation that I am acquiring knowledge on a subject of which I have hitherto been singularly ignorant; for I confess,' said Lady Cecilia, who in her girlhood had been a Maid of Honour, 'that in my mind a mayor and his family are nothing more than mere abstract ideas. A mayor is something that reads an address, generally dropping his spectacles over it, out of sheer nervousness, and sometimes an h as well; a mayor's wife is something very much overdressed, who stands by awkwardly bowing; a mayor's daughter is something frightened out of its wits that presents a bouquet; and a mayor's son-well, I don't think he has ever obtruded himself on my mind, even in the abstract; but I suppose that he is something that does something with a ledger somewhere.'

'You will shortly know a little more of the genus,' said Algernon ; for I may as well tell you at once that it is mainly on a subject very closely connected with the Mayor of Puddleton and myself that I have come up to talk to you about.'

'O, I know,' said Lady Cecilia languidly. But, my dear Al

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gernon, it is high time you give up these boyish pranks.' 'I really don't understand you, my dear mother.'

"Why, I recollect now that the mayor of a town is also its chief magistrate; and you have got into some scrape with him-pulled his door-knocker off, or put out all the lamps in the main street; something of that sortand you've promised fifty pounds to some local charity as compensation, and you have not any spare cash at your agent's. Am I not right? Of course I must be. For what other subject could possibly bring you and the Mayor of Puddleton into close intercourse?'

But there is another subjecta tender subject, a sacred subject, a subject dearer to me than life,' replied Algernon Warriner, with an earnestness that for a few moments startled his mother out of her usual repose.

?'

'Algernon, what do you mean she asked, leaning forward and gazing with almost breathless interest into his face.

'I mean,' said Algernon, with soldier-like brevity, as he came to the point rather quicker than when opening up the same subject in his memorable ante-prandial interview with Mr. Buddlecombe, 'I mean that I love his daughter.'

The announcement was as disagreeable at it was unexpected. Anger, disappointment, and all the bitterness of shattered hopes filled Lady Cecilia's breast; but she was not the one to 'unpack her heart with words.' Silently she leaned back in her chair, and an expression of disgust, as if some noisome reptile had crossed her path, came into her face.

'Yes, mother,' said Algernon Warriner, keenly feeling the silent and bitter contempt more on account of the girl he loved

than on his own. 'Yes, one of those things who, half frightened out of their wits, present bouquets, has, to my great happiness and honour, promised to be my wife.'

I see how the case stands, though I should have thought you had had more strength of mind,' said Lady Cecilia. You have not, you cannot have been a free agent in this contemptible piece of folly. piece of folly. You have been wheedled, flattered, coaxed, entrapped into it by this wily old Mayor; for in such cases it is the designing parent more than the comparatively innocent decoy who lands the weak victim.'

In the midst of his chagrin Algy Warriner could not repress a smile at the idea of Mr. Buddlecombe's wiles and blandishments. He felt it expedient to dispel the illusion.

At the first interview I ever had with my wily entrapper he wheedled me by keeping me waiting on his doorstep for about twenty minutes; his fulsome flattery took the form of calling me an impostor; and he coaxed me to the extent of threatening to have me tarred and feathered for daring to propose to his daughter.'

'Are these phrases mere figures of speech? asked Lady Cecilia, in cold hard tones; or do they convey matters of fact?'

They are simple and unvarnished truths.'

'Algernon, I blush for you.'

Neither was this remark a mere figure of speech. Lady Cecilia's usually pale face was covered from neck to brow with an angry flush.

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