h. A faint-pink color, delicate
but distinct, creeps into Portia's cheeks; she does not lower her head,
however, or her eyes either, but gazes steadily through the open window
at the hills in the far, far distance, misty with heat and coming rain.

She feels that Fabian's eyes are on her, and inwardly resents his
scrutiny. As for Fabian himself, his brow contracts, and a somewhat
unpleasant expression mars the beauty of his face; yet, turning to Dicky
with the utmost composure, he says, calmly:

"Take Portia to see the carp-pond; that may interest her."

"So I will," says Dicky. "But you come, too, old man; won't you? You
understand all about fish, you know, and that, and I don't a little
screw. Make him come, Portia; he talks like a book when he has got to
explain things."

"Don't trouble Portia," says Fabian, quietly. "_Even she_ could not
persuade me to leave the house to-day, as I have business on hand that
must be done."

There is the very faintest touch of sarcasm in his tone. The "even she,"
though very slightly done, is full of it. Portia, at least, is conscious
of it. She unfurls her huge, black fan with a lazy gesture, and then
turns her large eyes full upon him.

"So sorry my persuasions have failed," she says, slowly, not having
persuaded him at all; and, satisfied with this speech, waves the fan
indolently to and fro, and with half-closed eyes watches the merry
little sunbeams outside as they run hither and thither over the grass.

"Oh! let us do something," says Dulce, from the distance. "I shall go
mad if I am left here to talk to Roger all day."

"I am sure I don't want you to talk to me if it disagrees with you,"
says Roger, with ill-suppressed ire.

Then they tell her they are going for a gentle stroll before tea is
ready, and she consents to go with them if Sir Mark will walk with her
instead of Roger; and Roger, having indignantly disclaimed all anxiety
to be her companion on this occasion, peace is restored, and they all
sally forth armed with big, white umbrellas, to inspect the stupid carp.

Fabian alone remains indoors to transact the mysterious business, that I
think would have been gladly laid aside had Portia so willed it. That
she had absolutely refused to have him as her companion in her walk, was
so evident at the time of her expressed desire to go to see the carp
with Dicky Browne, that Fabian could not be blind to it. Standing in the
window of the library now, with the dying su