age
was effected with very little trouble, if with a good deal of jolting
and bumping; and thereafter there was a pleasant trot along some
sufficiently smooth greensward up to the door of the lodge.

Yes, here were the three tall and handsome sisters, looking very
picturesque in their simple Northern attire? and here was Miss Georgie
Lestrange conspicuous in a Tam o' Shanter of bright blue; and no sooner
had the young man descended from the wagonette than they surrounded him,
laughing and questioning, and giving him the heartiest of welcomes. How
could he answer them all at once? When the poor man was taken into the
dining-room, and set down to his solitary luncheon, they were all for
waiting on him and talking to him at the same time.

"It is so awfully kind of you to come," Lady Adela said, with one of her
most gracious smiles. "Now we shall hear about something else than dogs
and guns and grouse."

"Oh, Mr. Moore," cried Lady Rosamund (who was the youngest, and had a
bit of a temper, and was allowed to interfere when she liked), "do you
know a masque called 'Alfred'? You do? how delightful! Well, then, you
remember the visions of the future kings and queens that pass before
Alfred when he is in the Isle of Athelney? how can I get that done in
the open air? What kind of gauze do you use in the theatre? Could you
get me a bit? And would painted shades do instead of living
persons?--you see we have so few people to come and go on up here."

"And, Mr. Moore," cried Lady Sybil, "how are we to manage about an
accompaniment? A single violin is no use out in the open. Would it be
too dreadful if we had a harmonium concealed somewhere? We could get one
from Inverness; and you know a harmonium would do very well for the
music that introduces the visions."

"Mr. Moore," put in Miss Georgie Lestrange, with a complaining air,
"fancy their having given me another of Kitty Clive's characters; isn't
it too bad? Why, I'll go on and on until I identify myself with her
altogether; and then, you know, Kitty Clive wasn't--I'm afraid she
wasn't quite--"

"Oh, Mrs. Clive was all right; she was a great friend of Dr. Johnson,"
Lionel made answer, to reassure the young lady.

"But I wish you girls would leave off chattering, and let Mr. Moore get
something to eat," the young matron said, impatiently; and she herself
was so kind as to go and fetch the claret jug from the glide-table and
fill his glass.

However, there was peace in st