o luncheon. As he
watched May attending to Miss Mary, he could not help remarking how
lady-like and graceful was every movement she made; he could scarcely
believe that she had been born and bred in a fisherman's cottage, for
honest and worthy as Adam and his wife appeared, they were plain and
blunt in their manners, though the dame was in some respects certainly
above her class.

"We must show you the grounds," said Miss Jane, when luncheon was over,
"if you are not in a hurry to return home."

Harry was sure he should not be missed at Texford, and would very much
like to see their garden.

The ladies got their bonnets and shawls and went out, May leading Miss
Mary.

"Our dear May has quite spoilt me," observed the blind lady. "Instead
of letting me learn to grope my way about, she always insists on my
taking her arm, so that I can step out without fear of falling over
anything in the path."

May looked affectionately at Miss Mary, as if she felt the duty was one
in which she delighted.

They had just left the house when a girl came running up, saying that
her mother was ill, and would be grateful if Miss Jane would come down
and visit her.

"I must go at once, Mary," she said, "and leave you and May to do the
honours to Harry. I daresay I shall be back before you go," she added,
turning to him, "as the cottage is not far off."

Harry begged her not to hurry.

The grounds, though not extensive, were very pretty, for the Miss
Pembertons had done much to improve them since their arrival. There was
a lawn on the garden side of the house, with a number of flower beds and
shrubberies and walks, and here and there seats, with a rustic arbour
covered with creepers. At the further end of the grounds, where a
spring of water bubbling up formed a pool surrounded by rocks, over
which moisture-loving plants had been taught to creep, was a grotto,
artificially constructed of masses of rock. Miss Mary called Harry's
attention to it, as she and her sister were very proud of the work, it
having been formed under their directions, and she begged him especially
to admire some figures formed with shells, a few only of which were
finished, though they intended that the whole of the interior should be
ornamented in the same style.

"This is just the sort of thing I should like to work at," exclaimed
Harry. "It should be a thoroughly marine grotto. I see that there is a
covey of flying fish already finished. You might