om was also panelled with painted wood; its character was quiet
and stately and reposeful. Yet one felt that many human lives had been
lived in it. It was full of the sentiment of the past, from the old
prints and portraits on the walls, to the delicate outlines of the
wooden mantel-piece, with its finely wrought urns and garlands.

Before this mantel-piece, with the firelight flickering in her face, sat
Mrs. Fullerton, working at a large piece of embroidery.

For the first time, Hadria hesitated. "Mother," she said, "this is Miss
Du Prel. We met out on the hills this afternoon, and I have brought her
home to see the house, which she admires very much."

Mrs. Fullerton had looked up in astonishment, at this incursion into her
very sanctuary, of a stranger met at haphazard on the hills. Hadria
wheeled up an easy-chair for the visitor.

"I fear Miss Du Prel will not find much to see in the old house," said
Mrs. Fullerton, whose manner had grown rigid, partly because she was
shy, partly because she was annoyed with Hadria for her impulsive
conduct, and largely because she disliked the idea of a literary
acquaintance for her daughter, who was quite extraordinary enough as it
was.

"We have been all over the house," said Hadria hastily, with an anxious
glance at Miss Du Prel, whom she half expected to rise and walk out of
the room. It must surely be the first time in her life that her presence
had not been received as an honour!

"It is all very old and shabby," said Mrs. Fullerton. "I hope you will
take some tea; if you have walked far to-day, you must be cold and in
need of something to eat."

"Oh no, no, thank you," returned the visitor; "I ought to be getting
back to Ballochcoil to-night."

"To Ballochcoil!" exclaimed mother and daughter in simultaneous dismay.
"But it is nearly seven miles off, and the sun is down. You can't get
back to-night on foot."

"Dear me, can I not? I suppose I forgot all about getting back, in the
interest of the scenery."

"What an extraordinary person!" thought Mrs. Fullerton.

Miss Du Prel glanced helplessly at Hadria; rising then and looking out
of the window at the dusk, which had come on so rapidly. "Dear me, how
dark it has grown! Still I think I can walk it, or perhaps I can get a
fly at some inn on the way."

"Can we offer you a carriage?" asked Mrs. Fullerton.

"Oh no, thank you; that is quite unnecessary. I have already intruded
far too long; I shall wend my way back,