hat a little fellow it was who
had innocently done so much for him, and who stood there looking up just
as one of his own less fortunate children might have done--apparently
not realizing his own importance in the least.

"I've a great deal to thank your lordship for," he said; "a great deal.
I----"

"Oh," said Fauntleroy; "I only wrote the letter. It was my grandfather
who did it. But you know how he is about always being good to everybody.
Is Mrs. Higgins well now?"

Higgins looked a trifle taken aback. He also was somewhat startled at
hearing his noble landlord presented in the character of a benevolent
being, full of engaging qualities.

"I--well, yes, your lordship," he stammered; "the missus is better since
the trouble was took off her mind. It was worrying broke her down."

"I'm glad of that," said Fauntleroy. "My grandfather was very sorry
about your children having the scarlet fever, and so was I. He has had
children himself. I'm his son's little boy, you know."

Higgins was on the verge of being panic-stricken. He felt it would be
the safer and more discreet plan not to look at the Earl, as it had been
well known that his fatherly affection for his sons had been such that
he had seen them about twice a year, and that when they had been ill, he
had promptly departed for London, because he would not be bored with
doctors and nurses. It was a little trying therefore to his lordship's
nerves to be told, while he looked on, his eyes gleaming from under his
shaggy eyebrows, that he felt an interest in scarlet fever.

"You see, Higgins," broke in the Earl with a fine grim smile; "you
people have been mistaken in me. Lord Fauntleroy understands me. When
you want reliable information on the subject of my character, apply to
him. Get into the carriage, Fauntleroy."

And Fauntleroy jumped in, and the carriage rolled away down the green
lane, and even when it turned the corner into the high road, the Earl
was still grimly smiling.

(_To be continued._)

GEORGE WASHINGTON

[_A Historical Biography._]

BY HORACE E. SCUDDER.

CHAPTER XIII.

A VIRGINIA BURGESS.

Before Washington's marriage, and while he was in camp near Fort
Cumberland, making active preparations for the campaign against Fort
Duquesne, there was an election for members of the Virginia House of
Burgesses. Washington offered himself as candidate to the electors of
Frederic County, in which Winchester, where he had been for the past