for her hospitality
is doubtful. Mr Armstrong undertook the duties of cashier, and used
his eye-glass considerably in scrutinising the figures. He craved an
interview with Madame in her parlour to discuss her arithmetic, and
although he appeared eventually to arrive at a satisfactory
understanding with the good lady (so much so, that she shed tears at his
departure), he did not complain that her charges were extortionate, as
French hotels go.

The home-coming of the heir of Maxfield created a welcome flutter of
excitement among the desolate occupants of the manor-house and their
neighbours. But the flutter in their hearts was nothing compared with
that in the heart of the heir himself as he walked across the park on
the day after his return to call at the Vicarage and invite Rosalind to
accompany him in a ride. What passed--whether the flutter was
contagious, what brought back the deserted colour to Miss Rosalind's
cheeks, why they rode so slow and left so much of their course to the
decision of their steeds,--all this and many other matters for wonder,
history recordeth not, as is quite proper. But it does record that
when, on their return, Mr Armstrong chanced to come out on to the door-
step, where the two stood unmounted, Roger said--

"Armstrong, Rosalind has promised to be my wife."

The tutor flushed a little at this not unexpected announcement; then
taking his pupil's arm, he said--

"It means great happiness for you both. I am glad--very glad."

But why, if he was so glad, did he slink off to his study forthwith and
play a dirge on his piano, and there sit listlessly in his chair for the
rest of the morning staring out of the window through his glass, till
Jill tripped in and fetched him down to lunch, saying--

"Dear Mr Armstrong, try not to be too awfully sorry. _I_ think no one
is as nice as you."

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

THE HEIR OF MAXFIELD COMES OF AGE.

It wanted but a month to Roger's majority, that important day on which
the fate of so many persons was to be decided, when a letter was
delivered to the heir of Maxfield as he sat at breakfast.

The weeks that had passed since Captain Oliphant's sudden death had been
uneventful. To Rosalind and Roger the discovery that they loved one
another went far to lighten the sorrow which had befallen both--one in
the death of a father, the other in what appeared to be the hopeless
loss of a brother.

Roger had by no means yet abandoned his s