t? I am sure I don't know hers.
I didn't come here to be talked to by the Rector. Could we slip out and
leave him with your mother? That would suit his book a great deal
better. Come, let's go."

"Oh! he is speaking to you, Phil."

Compton turned round and eyed the Rector. "Yes?" he said in so marked an
interrogative that Mr. Hudson stopped short and flushed. He had been
talking for some time.

"Oh! I was not precisely asking a question," he said, in his quiet
tones. "I was saying that we believe and hope that another gentleman is
coming with you--for the occasion."

"Dick Bolsover," said Compton, "a son of Lord Freshfield's; perhaps Miss
----, the lady you were talking of, may know his family too. His brother
got a little talked of in that affair about Fille d'Or, don't you know,
at Newmarket. But Dick is a rattling good fellow, doesn't race, and has
no vices. He is coming to stand by me and see that all's right."

"We shall be happy to see Mr. Bolsover, I am sure." The Rector rubbed
his hands and said to himself with pleasure that two Honourables in his
quiet house was something to think of, and that he hoped it would not
turn the heads of the ladies, and make Alice expect--one couldn't tell
what. And then he said, by way of changing yet continuing the subject,
"I suppose you've been looking at the presents. Elinor must have shown
you her presents."

"By Jove, I never thought of the presents. Have you got a lot, Nell?"

"She has got, if I may be allowed to answer for her, having known her
all her life, a great many pretty things, Mr. Compton. We are not rich,
to be sure, her old friends here. We have to content ourselves with but
a small token of a great deal of affection; but still there are a number
of pretty things. Elinor, what were you thinking of, my dear, not to
show Mr. Compton the little set out which you showed us? Come, I should
myself like to look them over again."

Phil gave another long look at the distant road, and then he thrust his
arm into Elinor's and said, "To be sure, come along, Nell. It will be
something to do." He did not wait for the Rector to pass first, which
Elinor thought would have been better manners, but thrust her before him
quite regardless of the older people. "Let's see the trumpery," he said.

"Don't use such a word, Phil: the Rector will be so hurt."

"Oh, will he? did he work you an--antimacassar or something?"

"Phil, speak low at least. No, but his daughter did; and