is election.

"You ought to take these two young people into your counsels, Cecil;
they have some wonderful devices for the promotion of contentment
amongst coal-miners," said Lady Angleby. Mr. Fairfax glanced in his
granddaughter's innocent, rosy face, and shook hands with Sir Edward as
he got out of the carriage. Mr. Cecil Burleigh said that wisdom was not
the monopoly of age, and then he inquired where they were going.

They were going to call at the manor on Lady Eden, and to wind up with a
visit to Mr. Laurence Fairfax in the Minster Court. Mr. Fairfax said he
would meet them there, and the same said Mr. Cecil Burleigh. Sir Edward
Lucas stood halting on the inn-steps, wistfully hoping for a bidding to
come too. Lady Angleby was even kinder than his hopes; she asked if he
had any engagement for the evening, and when he answered in the negative
she invited him to come and dine at Brentwood again. He accepted with
joy unfeigned.

When the ladies reached Minster Court only Mr. Cecil Burleigh had
arrived there. Lady Angleby was impatient to hear some private details
of the canvass, and took her nephew aside to talk of it. Mr. Laurence
Fairfax began to ask Bessie how long she was to stay at Brentwood.
"Until Monday," Bessie said; and her eyes roved unconsciously to the
cupboard under the bookcase where the toys lived, but it was fast shut
and locked, and gave no sign of its hid treasures. Her uncle's eyes
followed hers, and with a significant smile he said, if she pleased, he
would request her grandfather to leave her with him for a few days,
adding that he would find her some young companions. Bessie professed
that she would like it very much, and when Mr. Fairfax came in the
request was preferred and cordially granted. The squire was in high
good-humor with his granddaughter and all the world just now.

Bessie went away from Minster Court with jubilant anticipations of what
might happen during the proposed visit to her uncle's house. One thing
she felt sure of: she would become better acquainted with that darling
cherub of a boy, and the vision she made of it shed quite a glow on the
prospect. She told Miss Burleigh when she returned to Brentwood that she
was not going out of reach on Monday; she was going to stay a few days
with her uncle Laurence in Minster Court.

"Cecil will be so glad!" said his devoted sister.

"There are no more Bullers to conquer, are there?" Bessie asked, turning
her face aside.

"I ho