o the Earl afterward, "it could not
possibly be better than this!"

"I think not," answered his lordship dryly. "He is a fine little
fellow. We are great friends. He believes me to be the most charming
and sweet-tempered of philanthropists. I will confess to you,
Constantia,--as you would find it out if I did not,--that I am in some
slight danger of becoming rather an old fool about him."

"What does his mother think of you?" asked Lady Lorridaile, with her
usual straightforwardness.

"I have not asked her," answered the Earl, slightly scowling.

"Well," said Lady Lorridaile, "I will be frank with you at the outset,
Molyneux, and tell you I don't approve of your course, and that it is my
intention to call on Mrs. Errol as soon as possible; so if you wish to
quarrel with me, you had better mention it at once. What I hear of the
young creature makes me quite sure that her child owes her everything.
We were told even at Lorridaile Park that your poorer tenants adore her
already."

"They adore HIM," said the Earl, nodding toward Fauntleroy. "As to Mrs.
Errol, you'll find her a pretty little woman. I'm rather in debt to her
for giving some of her beauty to the boy, and you can go to see her if
you like. All I ask is that she will remain at Court Lodge and that you
will not ask me to go and see her," and he scowled a little again.

"But he doesn't hate her as much as he used to, that is plain enough to
me," her ladyship said to Sir Harry afterward. "And he is a changed man
in a measure, and, incredible as it may seem, Harry, it is my opinion
that he is being made into a human being, through nothing more nor less
than his affection for that innocent, affectionate little fellow. Why,
the child actually loves him--leans on his chair and against his knee.
His own children would as soon have thought of nestling up to a tiger."

The very next day she went to call upon Mrs. Errol. When she returned,
she said to her brother:

"Molyneux, she is the loveliest little woman I ever saw! She has a voice
like a silver bell, and you may thank her for making the boy what he is.
She has given him more than her beauty, and you make a great mistake in
not persuading her to come and take charge of you. I shall invite her to
Lorridaile."

"She'll not leave the boy," replied the Earl.

"I must have the boy too," said Lady Lorridaile, laughing.

But she knew Fauntleroy would not be given up to her, and each day she
saw more clearly how