the
flushing cheeks drooped over them, as if he had been Mr.
Falkirk himself. But when Hazel caught up the basket and ran
off to her little corner room, then Gotham did betake himself
to the library, though without quite the report suggested.

'Beg pardon, sir,' he said; 'Miss 'Azel 'ave just received a
bushel of flowers, sir,--if you choose to be h'aware, sir.'

'A _what_, Gotham?' said the astonished Mr. Falkirk.

'No person of discretion to detain them at the 'ouse, sir, and
so of course they followed Miss 'Azel down 'ere, sir. Boukets
enough to last a h'ordinary person all summer, sir. And cards.
And ribbands,'--concluded Gotham, beginning to clear the table
for tea.

'Look here, Gotham,'--said Mr. Falkirk, from his sofa, whence
his eyes followed his serving-man about.

'Yes, sir!' said Gotham, erect and motionless.

'Do you dare to speak of Miss Hazel as an ordinary person?'

'Why, no sir! By no means! Very h'extraordinary, I thought I
said, sir--or h'indicated,' replied Gotham, going back to his
leisurely motions about the table.

'Have the goodness to remember that it is proper her flowers
should be extraordinary.'

'O, you are clearing the table,' Hazel said, flitting in;
'just what I wanted--tea early.'

'Tea never h'is late, Miss 'Azel!' said Gotham in an aggrieved
voice.

'I didn't know but it might be to-night,' said the girl
provokingly. 'But dear Mr. Falkirk, do you really like to have
your books disturbed so often, just for me?'

'My dear,' said Mr. Falkirk rather lazily, brushing one hand
over his forehead, 'you have done that for my life generally.'

'My dear Mr. Falkirk!--evidently I have just come in time to
receive a shot meant for somebody else. I wonder you allow
yourself to fire at random, sir, in that way.'

'Who has been sending you flowers, Miss Hazel?' her guardian
asked, without change of tone.

She laughed.

'Shall I leave you the cards, sir--just to pass away the time
while I am gone?'

'I'll take them now, Miss Hazel, if you please.' Mr. Falkirk
stretched out his hand.

'They are not so precious as to be carried in my pocket, sir.
Do you want them before tea?'

'If you please, Miss Hazel!'

'I don't please a bit, sir. I am in a great hurry to go to my
dressing. And you know, Mr. Falkirk, you seldom try for "the
soul of wit" on such occasions.'

'Does that mean, you refuse me the sight of them?'

'No, sir!--"By no means!"--to quote Gotham,' said Wych Hazel,