have not talked
much about that yet. Dick must work hard for another year, and after
that I believe things are to be settled." And then Lady Fitzroy kissed
her again, and they went downstairs.

Nan wrote home that she was _feted_ like a queen, and that Dick
grumbled sadly at having her so little to himself; but then Dick was
much given to that sort of good-natured grumbling.

The visit was necessarily a very brief one, as term-time was
approaching, and Dick had to go up to Oxford. On the last morning he
took Nan for a walk down to Sandy Lane. Vigo and the other dogs were
with them, and at the point where the four roads met, Dick stopped and
leaned his arms over a gate.

"It will seem a long time to Easter, Nan," he said, rather
lugubriously.

"Oh, no," she replied brightly to this; "you will have my
letters,--such long ones, Dick,--and you know Mr. Mayne has promised
to bring Phillis and me down for a couple of days. We are to stay at
the Randolph, and of course we shall have afternoon tea in your
rooms."

"Yes; I will ask Hamilton and some of the other fellows to meet you. I
want all my friends to see you, Nan." And as Dick thought of the glory
of this introduction, and of the envy of Hamilton and the other
fellows, his brow cleared and his old spirits returned.

"I shall think of nothing but my work and those letters, Nan," were
his last words. "I am determined that next summer shall see you my
wife." His voice dropped over the last word almost shyly; but Nan saw
a great brightness come into his eyes.

"You must not work too hard," was all her answer to this, as she moved
gently away from him. But her heart beat a little faster at his words.
No; she would only have another summer at Glen Cottage. She knew that,
and then the new life would lie before them, which she and Dick were
to live together.

CHAPTER XLVIII.

MRS. SPARSIT'S POODLE.

While Nan was being _feted_ and petted at Longmead, Mattie's visit was
dragging heavily to its close. Since the evening of the tea-party
things had been more unsatisfactory than ever.

Archie and Grace were a good deal out. Grace was perpetually at the
Friary, and Archie had resumed his old habit of dropping in there for
a morning or evening chat. Sir Harry came almost daily, and often
spent his disengaged hours with them; but Mattie never saw him for a
moment alone. Grace was always in the room, and his conversation was
chiefly addressed to her. When Mattie dr