t on him to "kill some giant."'

'We may be content with something short of his killing the giant,' said
Honor, 'but he really did gain the victory. That lad, under nineteen,
positively beat this great monster of a man, and made him ask the girl's
pardon, knocked him down, and thoroughly mastered him! I should have
known nothing of it, though, if Owen had not got a black eye, which made
him unpresentable for the Castle Blanch gaieties, so he came down to the
Holt to me, knowing I should not mind wounds gained in a good cause.'

They wished her good night in her triumph.

The receipt of a letter was rare and supreme felicity to Maria; therefore
to indite one was Phoebe's first task on the morrow; after which she took
up her book, and was deeply engaged, when the door flew back, and the
voice of Owen Sandbrook exclaimed, 'Goddess of the silver bow! what,
alone?'

'Miss Charlecote is with her lawyer, and Robert at the office.'

'The parson and parsoness parsonically gone to study parsonages, schools,
and dilapidations, I suppose. What a bore it is having them here; I'd
have taken up my quarters here, otherwise, but I can't stand parish
politics.'

'I like them very much,' said Phoebe, 'and Miss Charlecote seems to be
happy with them.'

'Just her cut, dear old thing; the same honest, illogical, practical
sincerity,' said Owen, in a tone of somewhat superior melancholy; but
seeing Phoebe about to resent his words as a disrespectful imputation on
their friend, he turned the subject, addressing Phoebe in the manner
between teasing and flattering, habitual to a big schoolboy towards a
younger child, phases of existence which each had not so long outgrown as
to have left off the mutual habits thereto belonging. 'And what is
bright Cynthia doing? Writing verses, I declare!--worthy sister of
Phoebus Apollo.'

'Only notes,' said Phoebe, relinquishing her paper, in testimony.

'When found make a note of--Summoned by writ--temp. Ed.
III.--burgesses--knights of shire. It reads like an act of parliament.
Hallam's English Constitution. My eyes! By way of lighter study. It is
quite appalling. Pray what may be the occupation of your more serious
moments?'

'You see the worst I have with me.'

'Holiday recreation, to which you can just condescend. I say, Phoebe, I
have a great curiosity to understand the Zend. I wish you would explain
it to me.'

'If I ever read it,' began Phoebe, laughing.

'What, you pretend