y in great good-humour.

The Moat was a picturesque old house, though by no means so imposing as
the Court. The man-servant reported that Mrs Blount was not well
enough to receive visitors, but that Lady Margot was at home and
disengaged; and the visitors were shown into a pleasant, sunny
apartment, where Margot herself was seated reading. She looked up
apprehensively at the sound of the opening door; but at the sight of the
two girls her expression changed, and she came forward to greet them
with an eagerness which could not be mistaken.

"This is good of you to come so soon! And I am alone, so we can have a
delightful chat all to ourselves. Bring tea, Wilson, please. Do come
and sit down, and let me make you comfortable! My aunt is not
downstairs to-day, and I was getting so bored with my own society that I
am doubly pleased to see you! There are so few girls of my own age in
this neighbourhood that I find it rather dull after the rush and bustle
of town. It is so good of you to be here at the same time as me!"

"It is very nice for us," responded Mollie brightly; while truthful Ruth
hesitated to find some reply which would be at once polite and non-
committal. "But isn't it a strange time for you to come to this quiet
place, when London is at its brightest and gayest?"

"Ah, thereby hang many tales!" cried Lady Margot, laughing. "The most
important is, perhaps, that I am not strong enough to go through a
season just now; but I have no intention of being dull even in Raby. We
must amuse each other and do all kinds of nice things together. The
great lack on my visits, so far, has been to find any other girls with
whom I could be intimate; but now that you are here it will be quite
different."

"But we are only country-cousins, Lady Margot. You will find that we
are very ignorant of the things that have made up your life. We are
very poor at home, and have had to do most of our gaieties in
imagination," said Ruth; while Mollie gave a little gurgle of laughter,
and cried--

"Let's tell her about Berengaria and Lucille!"

Lady Margot looked her curiosity, and, when the nature of the game was
explained in detail in Mollie's breezy language, went into peals of
delighted laughter, and rocked to and fro in her chair.

"How lovely--oh, how lovely! I do think it is too funny! I must call
you Berengaria and Lucille. Do you mind? Such wonderful names! How
did you manage to hit on them? I used to imagi