of his lordship,' said Mr. Rollstone
solemnly.

'I declare it is an awful shame,' burst out Ida, while Constance cooed
'Dear uncle!'

'Hush, hush, Ida!' said her mother. 'Your uncle has always treated us
handsomely, and we have every reason to expect that he will continue to
do so.'

'He ought to have us to live with him in his house in London, and take us
to Court,' said Ida. 'Oh, Mr. Rollstone, is he not bound to do that?'

And Constance breathed, 'How delicious!'

Mr. Rollstone perhaps had his doubts of the figures Mrs. and Miss Morton
would cut in society, but he contented himself with saying, 'It may be
well to moderate your expectations, Miss Ida, and to remember that Lord
Northmoor is not compulsorily bound to consult any interests but his
own.'

'If he does not, it is perfectly abominable,' cried Mrs. Morton, 'towards
his poor, only brother's children, with Herbert his next heir-apparent.'

'Heir-presumptuous,' solemnly corrected Mr. Rollstone, at which Ida
looked at Constance, but Constance respected Rosie's feelings, and would
not return her sister's glance, only blushed, and sniggered.

'Heir-apparent is only the eldest son, who cannot be displaced by any
contingency.'

'And there's a horrid, little, artful school teacher, who drew him in
years ago--before I was married even,' said Mrs. Morton. 'No doubt she
will try to keep him now. Most likely she always knew what was going to
happen. Cannot he be set free from the entanglement?'

'Oh!' gasped Constance.

'That is serious,' observed Mr. Rollstone gravely. 'It would be an
unfortunate commencement to have an action for breach of promise of
marriage.'

'She would never dare,' said Mrs. Morton. 'She is as poor as a rat, and
could not do it!'

'Well, Mrs. Morton,' said Mr. Rollstone, 'if I may be allowed to tender
my poor advice, it would be that you should be very cautious and careful
not to give any offence to his lordship, or to utter what might be
reported to him in a sinister manner.'

'Oh, I know every one has enemies!' said Mrs. Morton, tossing her head.

After this disappointment there was rather less interest displayed when
Mr. Rollstone proceeded to track out and explain the whole Northmoor
pedigree, from the great lawyer, Sir Michael Morton, who had gained the
peerage, down to the failure of the direct line, tracing the son from
whom Francis and Charles Morton were descended. Certainly Miss Marshall
must have been wonderful