ision entirely to the good offices of Mr. Fred Birch's firm,
and described Lady Lucy as "an old dear," though very "frowsty" in her
ideas. He was strongly of opinion that Marsham should find an heiress as
soon as possible, for there was no saying how "long the old lady would
see him out of his money," and everybody knew that at present "she kept
him beastly short." "As for me," the speaker wound up, with an engaging
and pensive _naivete_, "I've talked to him till I'm tired."

At last he was headed away from Tallyn and its owners, only to fall into
a rapturous debate with Fanny over a racing bet which seemed to have
been offered and taken on the journey which first made them acquainted.
Fanny had lost, but the young man gallantly excused her.

"No--no, couldn't think of it! Not till next time. Then--my word!--I'll
come down upon you--won't I? Teach you to know your way about--eh?"

Loud laughter from Fanny, who professed to know her way about already.
They exchanged "tips"--until at last Mr. Birch, lost in admiration of
his companion, pronounced her a "ripper"--he had never yet met a lady so
well up--"why, you know as much as a man!"

Dr. Roughsedge meanwhile observed the type. The father, an old-fashioned
steady-going solicitor, had sent the son to expensive schools, and
allowed him two years at Oxford, until the College had politely
requested the youth's withdrawal. The business was long established,
and had been sound. This young man had now been a partner in it for two
years, and the same period had seen the rise to eminence of another and
hitherto obscure firm in the county town. Mr. Fred Birch spoke
contemptuously of the rival firm as "smugs"; but the district was
beginning to intrust its wills and mortgages to the "smugs" with a sad
and increasing alacrity.

There were, indeed, some secret discomforts in the young man's soul; and
while he sported with Fanny he did not forget business. The tenant of
Beechcote was, _ipso facto_, of some social importance, and Diana was
reported to be rich; the Roughsedges also, though negligible
financially, were not without influence in high places; and the doctor
was governor of an important grammar-school recently revived and
reorganized, wherewith the Birches would have been glad to be officially
connected. He therefore made himself agreeable.

"You read, sir, a great deal?" he said to the doctor, with a
professional change of voice.

The doctor, who, like most great men,