orman's arm, crossed
the lawn, and arrived in his own study, where it was a great treat
to him to catch any one who would admire his accumulation of prints,
drawings, coins, etc.; and his young friend was both very well amused
and pleased to be setting Miss Rivers's mind at ease on her father's
account. It was not till half-past four that Dr. May knocked at the
door, and stood surprised at finding his son there. Mr. Rivers spoke
warmly of the young Oxonian's kindness in leaving the fair for an old
man, and praised Norman's taste in art. Norman rose to take leave, but
still thought it incumbent on him to offer to give up the picture,
if Mr. Rivers set an especial value on it. But Mr. Rivers went to the
length of being very glad that it was in his possession, and added to
it a very pretty drawing of the same size, by a noted master, which had
been in the water-colour exhibition, and, while Norman walked away, well
pleased, Mr. Rivers began to extol him to his father, as a very superior
and sensible young man, of great promise, and began to wish George had
the same turn.

Norman, on returning to the fancy fair, found the world in all the
ardour of raffles. Lady Leonora's contributions were the chief prizes,
which attracted every one, and, of course, the result was delightfully
incongruous. Poor Ethel, who had been persuaded to venture a shilling
to please Blanche, who had spent all her own, obtained the two jars in
potichomanie, and was regarding them with a face worth painting. Harvey
Anderson had a doll, George Rivers a wooden monkey, that jumped over a
stick; and, if Hector Ernescliffe was enchanted at winning a beautiful
mother-of-pearl inlaid workbox, which he had vainly wished to buy for
Margaret, Flora only gained a match-box of her own, well known always to
miss fire, but which had been decided to be good enough for the bazaar.

By fair means or foul, the commodities were cleared off, and, while the
sunbeams faded from the trodden grass, the crowds disappeared, and
the vague compliment, "a very good bazaar," was exchanged between the
lingering sellers and their friends.

Flora was again to sleep at the Grange, and return the next day, for
a committee to be held over the gains, which were not yet fully
ascertained. So Dr. May gathered his flock together, and packed them,
boys and all, into the two conveyances, and Ethel bade Meta good-night,
almost wondering to hear her merry voice say, "It has been a delightful