ortable, and then putting her
hand on her father's arm.

Thus repulsed, the visitor cheerfully offered his arm to Mrs Ingleton,
congratulating her as he did so on the recovery of her son.

During the meal he was aware that the young lady's eyes were completing
their scrutiny, and although, being a bashful man, he did not venture
too often to meet them with his own, he was conscious that the result
was not altogether satisfactory to himself. His few attempts to talk to
her fell flat, and in spite of the captain's almost nervous attempts to
improve the festivity of the occasion, the meal was an uncomfortable
one.

"Where's old Armstrong?" demanded Tom.

"With Roger," replied Rosalind.

"Have you seen Armstrong?" inquired the boy of the visitor; "he's a
stunner, I can tell you. He can bend a poker double across his knee.
You'll like him awfully; and he plays the piano like one o'clock. He's
our tutor, you know--no end of a chap."

Mr Ratman was fain to express a longing desire to make the acquaintance
of so redoubtable a hero.

"Does he lick you?" he inquired.

"Sometimes, when it's wanted; but, bless you, he could take the lot of
us left-handed; couldn't he, Jill?"

"Oh, yes," said Jill enthusiastically; "and he saved Roger's life, and
prevented Hodder being turned out, and won such a lot of prizes at
Oxford."

"He must be a fine fellow," said Ratman, with a disagreeable laugh.
"You admire him too, of course, Miss Oliphant?"

"Yes, he's honest," said she.

"Teddy, my boy," said the visitor, when he and his friend had been left
alone at the table, "that girl of yours is a treasure. She don't fancy
me, but she'll get over that. I like her, Teddy; I like her."

That evening, on his way to say good night to his dear ward, Captain
Oliphant stopped at his daughter's door.

She was hard at work over a picture.

"Rosalind," said he, "you have disappointed me. But if your mind is
made up, I know it is no use my setting up my authority against your
self-will. Therefore, to relieve you of the sin of disobedience to your
father's wishes, I withdraw my refusal to your proposal. You may do as
you like. Good night!"

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

AWKWARD QUESTIONS.

The sun, when it peeped through the blinds next morning, found Mr
Robert Ratman wide awake. His was one of those active minds which do
not waste unnecessary time in sluggish repose, but, on the contrary, do
a principal part of their most effective b