t his father to take long walks with
him, and leave the horses to eat their oats in peace.

In these walks young master botanized and geologized his own father,
and Sir Charles gave him a little politics, history, and English
poetry, in return. He had a tutor fresh from Oxford for the classics.

One day, returning with his father from a walk, they met a young lady
walking toward them from the village; she was tall, and a superb
brunette.

Now it was rather a rare thing to see a lady walking through that
village, so both Sir Charles and his son looked keenly at her as she
came toward them.

Compton turned crimson, and raised his hat to her rather awkwardly.

Sir Charles, who did not know the lady from Eve, saluted her,
nevertheless, and with infinite grace; for Sir Charles, in his youth,
had lived with some of the elite of French society, and those gentlemen
bow to the person whom their companion bows to. Sir Charles had
imported this excellent trait of politeness, and always practiced it,
though not the custom in England, the more the pity.

As soon as the young lady had passed and was out of hearing, Sir
Charles said to Compton, "Who is that lovely girl? Why, how the boy is
blushing!"

"Oh, papa!"

"Well, what is the matter?"

"Don't you see? It is herself come back from school."

"I have no doubt it is herself, and not her sister, but who is
herself?"

"Ruperta Bassett."

"Richard Bassett's daughter! impossible. That young lady looks
seventeen or eighteen years of age."

"Yes, but it is Ruperta. There's nobody like her. Papa!"

"Well?"

"I suppose I may speak to her now."

"What for?"

"She is so beautiful."

"That she really is. And therefore I advise you to have nothing to say
to her. You are not children now, you know. Were you to renew that
intimacy, you might be tempted to fall in love with her. I don't say
you would be so mad, for you are a sensible boy; but still, after that
little business in the wood--"

"But suppose I did fall in love with her?"

"Then that would be a great misfortune. Don't you know that her father
is my enemy? If you were to make any advances to that young lady, he
would seize the opportunity to affront you, and me through you."

This silenced Compton, for he was an obedient youth.

But in the evening he got to his mother and coaxed her to take his
part.

Now Lady Bassett felt the truth of all her husband had said; but she
had a positive wish the young peop