three ladies left the room, and, as Rowland glanced after them, he
very decidedly wished that he might be permitted to accompany them. One
other great wish he also had at his heart, the conversion of Miss Gwynne
to a purer and higher tone of mind. He did not, we grieve to say, bestow
a similar pastoral thought on Miss Nugent.

'That position of your queen at such an early stage of the game must be
an oversight, I think. Excuse me, but I could not take such an unfair
advantage,' said Mr Gwynne.

Rowland was roused at once. He gave himself up to his game, and an hour
afterwards, when the ladies returned from their walk, and candles were
ordered, it was still in progress, but he had the best of it.

'Will you sing for us, Serena?' said Freda.

'Will you sing a duet with me?' was the reply.

The duet was sung, and another and another and another, and Rowland lost
the game.

Mr Gwynne arose, very much elated and rubbing his hands gently,
according to his wont.

'How do you feel, general, defeated?' asked Freda.

'Very much like a subaltern,' said Rowland.

'Do you sing, Mr Prothero?' asked Miss Hall; 'all the Welsh are so
musical that I think there are few who have not voices.'

'I sometimes sing chants and sacred music; but I know very few songs,
and those old ones.'

'Perhaps you will take the bass of some of these old glees. Here is "The
Chough and Crow," "When shall we three meet again," "The Canadian Boat
Song," "The Sicilian Mariner," and I know not how many more,' said Miss
Hall, turning over the leaves of a thick old book full of glees.

'I will do my best,' said Rowland, and the glees began in earnest.

All the Protheros were musical, and Rowland had a very fine clear voice.
Miss Hall was right in saying that the Welsh are a musical people;
Rowland was a happy example. He had been studying Church music a good
deal, and learning to take different parts, so he acquitted himself very
creditably in the glees, all of which he had either tried or heard sung.
Freda was quite astonished. She had a great taste for music herself, and
a good voice, but would never sing with any one but Miss Hall, a piece
of wilfulness that her father occasionally reproached her with. The
addition of Rowland was rather agreeable to her, as it enabled them to
sing the glees that she was fond of. She no longer objected to the
chess, and when her father proposed giving Rowland his revenge on the
morrow, she added, 'And then we can w