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never perfectly recovered from. And although he doesn't complain, we—my mother and I—are pretty sure that his shoulder pains him a good deal." He hesitated, and then said shyly: "You see, when he is well he is the most amiable man imaginable, and—and the most indulgent father anyone could wish for, but the indifferent state of his health makes him very—very irritable, and inclined to become agitated, which is very bad for him. So—so you will understand that it is of the first importance not to do anything to put him into the hips."
    "Indeed I understand!" said Miss Wychwood, regarding him with a kindly eye. "You must certainly go home tomorrow, and by the quickest way possible. I'll furnish you with the means to pay your shot, redeem your watch, and hire a post-chaise, and you may repay me by a draft on your bank—so don't set up your bristles!"
    She smiled as she spoke, and Ninian, who had stiffened, found himself smiling back at her, and stammering that he was very much obliged to her.
    Lucilla, however, was frowning. "Yes, but—Well, I see, of course, that it's your duty to go home, but what will you say when you are asked what has become of me?
    Nonplussed, he stared at her, saying after a pause during which he tried in vain to think of a way out of this difficulty: "I don't know. I mean, I shall say that I can't answer that question, because I gave you my word I wouldn't betray you."
    Lucilla's opinion of this was plainly to be read in her face. "You had as well tell them immediately where I am, because your father will make it a matter of obedience, and you'll knuckle down, just as you always do! Oh, why, why didn't you do as I begged you? I knew something like this would be bound to happen!"
    He reddened, and replied hotly: "If it comes to that, why didn't you do as I begged? I warned you that no good would come of running away! And if you mean to blame me for escorting you when I found you wouldn't listen to a word of reason it—it is beyond everything! A pretty fellow I should be if I let a silly chit of an ignorant schoolgirl wander about the country alone!"
    "I am not an ignorant schoolgirl!" cried Lucilla, as flushed as he was.
    "Yes, you are! Why, you didn't even know that you have to be on the waybill to get a seat on a stage-coach! Or that the Bath coaches don't go to Amesbury! A nice fix you'd have been in if I hadn't overtaken you!"
    Miss Wychwood got up from the table, saying firmly that any further discussion must be continued in the drawing-room. Miss Farlow instantly said: "Oh, yes! So much wiser, for there is no saying when Limbury, or James, will come into this room, and one would not wish the servants to hear what you are talking about—not but what I daresay even Limbury, though a very respectable man, has been on the listen, for servants always seem to know everything about one, and how they should, if they don't listen at keyholes, I'm sure I don't know! Amesbury! I was never there in my life, but I am acquainted with several persons who have frequently visited it, and I fancy I know all about it! Stonehenge!"
    On this triumphant note, she beamed upon the company, and followed Miss Wychwood out of the room. Neither of Miss Wychwood's youthful guests, both reared from birth in the strictest canons of propriety, returned any answer to this speech, but they exchanged speaking glances, and young Mr Elmore demanded of Miss Carleton, in an undervoice, what the deuce Stonehenge had to say to anything?
    Having comfortably installed her guests in the drawing-room, Miss Wychwood said chattily that she had been considering their problem, and had come to the conclusion that the wisest course for Ninian to pursue would be to tell his father, his mother, and Mrs Amber the whole story of his escapade. She could not help laughing when she was confronted by two horrified faces, but said, with a good deal of authority: "You know, my dears, there is really nothing else to be done! If the case had been