w what you two were talking about,' says Mabel.

Paul laughs and replies, 'We were settling a very weighty matter,
weren't we, Lippa?'

Philippa merely says 'Yes,' and longs to turn the conversation, for what
may not Jimmy think.

In truth he feels an unaccountable overwhelming desire to know what the
weighty matter was, but he is not to know, and therefore is kept on
tenter hooks for some time.

'She came to ask us all to a cattle show and ball,' Mrs Seaton is
saying.

'Who?' asks her brother.

'Lady Dadford; she particularly wants you.'

'I feel highly honoured, I'm sure--'

'Are you going?' says Lippa, turning to Dalrymple.

'I was asked, but I don't know whether I shall be able to get away,' he
replies, still pondering over the 'weighty matter.'

'Only a few minutes ago you were telling Lady Dadford how pleased you
would be to go, Mr Dalrymple; I did not know you were such a humbug,'
cries Mabel.

Jimmy laughs.

'Mrs Boothly,' announces the servant. Philippa retires to the back
drawing-room and Dalrymple follows her. 'I have not seen you for ages,'
says he.

'Only a week, I think,' replies Lippa.

'Isn't that seven whole long days?'

'Short I call them, but what have you been doing?'

'Duty.'

'Oh!'

Then after a pause he says, 'I can't make up my mind about the Dadfords,
shall I go?'

Lippa feels naughty. 'What difference could it make to me whether you
went or not?' she says.

'None, I suppose,' replies he sadly.

'None whatever,' she repeats, 'unless perhaps you make yourself very
disagreeable, then I must say I would rather you stayed away.'

'But,' says he, his face brightening, 'suppose I make myself very
agreeable, what then?'

'Could you?' she asks coquettishly.

'Miss Seaton,' protests he, 'how cruel you can be.'

But she appears deaf, and enters the other room. Nevertheless she gives
him the benefit of a lovely little smile when he goes away, which makes
him settle at once as to whether he goes to the Dadfords or not. And of
course he is the first person Lippa sees on arriving there, and who
shall say that it does not cause her pleasure.

CHAPTER IV

'The fine fat bulls, the dear little sheep,
The fat piggy-wiggy wiggies all in a heap,
The beautiful Moo cows all in a row,
Jolly fine fun at the cattle show.'

Such a lovely day it is; the sun shining forth in all its glory, casting
a touch of gold over everything, while a hush reigns supreme; t