ree girls were to dine at Longmead. Mrs. Challoner had been
invited also; but she had made some excuse, and pleaded for a quiet
evening. She was never very ready to accept these invitations; there
was nothing in common between her and Mrs. Mayne; and in her heart she
agreed with Lady Fitzroy in thinking the master of Longmead odious.

It was Mr. Mayne who had tendered this parting hospitality to his
neighbors, and he chose to be much offended at Mrs. Challoner's
refusal.

"I think it is very unfriendly of your mother, when we are such old
neighbors, and on our last evening, too," he said to Nan, as she
entered the drawing-room that evening bringing her mother's excuses
wrapped up in the prettiest words she could find.

"Mother is not quite well; she does not feel up to the exertion of
dining out to-night," returned Nan, trying to put a good face on it,
but feeling as though things were too much for her this evening. It
was bad enough for Mr. Mayne to insist on them all coming up to a long
formal dinner, and spoiling their chances of a twilight stroll; but it
was still worse for her mother to abandon them after this fashion.

The new novel must have had something to do with this sudden
indisposition; but when Mrs. Challoner had wrapped herself up in her
white shawl, always a bad sign with her, and had declared herself
unfit for any exertion, what could a dutiful daughter do but deliver
her excuses as gracefully as she could? Nevertheless, Mr. Mayne
frowned and expressed himself ill pleased.

"I should have thought an effort could have been made on such an
occasion," was his final thrust, as he gave his arm ungraciously to
Nan, and conducted her with ominous solemnity to the table.

It was not a festive meal, in spite of all Mrs. Mayne's efforts. Dick
looked glum. He was separated from Nan by a vast silver epergne, that
fully screened her from view. Another time she would have peeped
merrily round at him and given him a sprightly nod or two; but how was
she to do it when Mr. Mayne never relaxed his gloomy muscles, and when
he insisted on keeping up a ceremonious flow of conversation with her
on the subjects of the day?

When Dick tried to strike into their talk, he got so visibly snubbed
that he was obliged to take refuge with Phillis.

"You young fellows never know what you are talking about," observed
Mr. Mayne, sharply, when Dick had hazarded a remark about the
Premier's policy; "you are a Radical one day, and