, I have at last," said Sir Hampton, pompously, "received public
recognition of my position. My dears, I have been placed upon the
bench, and am now one of the county magistracy."

He looked round for the applause which should follow.

"Well, my dear, I'm sure I'm very glad if it pleases you," said Lady
Rea. "Matty, give me another poached egg."

"It was quite time they did, Hampton," said Miss Matilda.

"I congratulate you, papa, dear," said Valentina, going up to him and
kissing him; "and I'm sure the poor will be glad to have so kind a
magistrate to deal with them."

"Thank you, Tiny--thank you," said Sir Hampton, smiling, and trying to
look every inch a magistrate, before turning to his second daughter, who
was intent upon a turkey drumstick.

"But I say, pa, what fun it will be!" she said at last; "you'll have to
sit on the poachers."

"Yes, the scoundrels!" said Sir Hampton, and his cravat crackled.

"And send all the poor old women to quod for picking sticks."

"To where?" exclaimed Miss Matilda, in horrified tones.

"Quod," said Finetta, quite unmoved; "it's Latin, I think, for prison,
or else it's stable slang--I'm not sure. But oh, my," she continued,
seeing her father's frown, "we've got some news, too."

"Have you, dear?" said mamma, "what is it?"

"We saw Humphrey Lloyd this morning."

"Who is Humphrey Lloyd?" said Lady Rea.

"The keeper at Penreife."

"Penreife," said Sir Hampton, waking up out of a day-dream of judicial
honours. "Yes, a beautiful estate. I would have bought it instead of
this if it had been for sale."

"Well," said Finetta, "we met Humphrey, and talked to him."

"I think, if I may be allowed to say so, Finetta, that you are too fond
of talking to grooms and keepers, and people of that class," said Miss
Matilda, glancing at her brother, who, however, was once more immersed
in judicial dreams--J.P., _custos rotulorum_, commission of the peace,
etcetera.

"Tennyson used to hang with grooms and porters on bridges, and he's poet
laureate; so why shouldn't I?" said Finetta, rebelliously.

"I don't think it's nice, though," said mamma. "Aunt Matty is quite
right; you are not a child now, my dear."

"Oh, mamma, dear, it's only Fin's nonsense," said Tiny. "Humphrey is a
very respectful, worthy young fellow, and he climbed up the big rocks
down by Penreife for us, and got us some of those beautiful little
aspleniums we couldn't reach."

"Yes, ma, dear," said Finetta