should not be with her. The passion for Trevor was
in full force, too, and the boys could not be content only to meet at
the farm. We tried sending Alured to make visits from home in the
holidays, but he did not like it, and he was not happy; his heart was
with his home, and with Trevor. We tried having a tutor for the spring
holidays before he went to Eton, but it did not answer. He was not a
sensible man, did not like dining in the keeping-room with the
household, and though he did it, he showed that he thought it a
condescension.

Moreover, instead of attending to Alured, he was always trying to flirt
with Jaquetta, infinitely disturbing Arthur Cradock's peace; and the
end of it was, that Alured was a great deal more left to his own
devices than ever he had been before, and exasperated besides.

He was in that mood, when one day, as he was riding along the lanes, he
met Perrault and Trevor coming in from hunting.

Alured had a very pretty pony, but he was growing rather large for it,
and Fulk had promised that, if he worked well at Eton, he should have a
lovely little Arab, that was being trained by a dealer he knew; and
that another year, Fulk himself would go out hunting with him.

Perrault began to pity him for having missed the run. Why did not his
brother take him out? Fulk's old mare was a sort of elephant, and it
was not convenient to get another horse just then. That Alured knew
and explained, but he was pitied the more for being kept back, and
Perrault ended by saying that if on the next hunting day he could meet
them at the corner of the park, a capital mount should be there for him.

The hour was attainable if Alured made haste with his studies, and he
accepted gladly, and without compunction. Fulk had never in so many
words forbidden him, and besides, Fulk had delegated his authority to
the hateful tutor.

But the next morning, before Alured was up Trevor was in his bedroom.
"You won't go, Trevorsham?"

"Yes, I shall; I'm not such a muff as to stay for that fellow."

But I need not try to tell what passed, as of course I did not hear it;
I never so much as knew of it till long after, only Trevorsham was
determined, and Trevor tried all round the due arguments of principle,
honour, and duty; but Alured had worked up a schoolboy
self-justification on all points, and besides had the stronghold of "I
will," and "I don't care."

Then Trevor told him, under his breath, he was sure it was not a