ed with personal culture; her
conscience was uneasy about the destinies of mankind; she took to
herself the sorrows of the race, and burned with zeal for the great
causes of civilisation. Vast theories were tossed about between them;
they surveyed the universe from the origin to the end of all things. Of
course it was Dyce who led the way in speculation; Iris caught at
everything he propounded with breathless fervour and a resolute
liberality of mind, determined to be afraid of no hypothesis. Oh, the
afternoons of endless talk! Iris felt that this was indeed to live the
higher life.

"By the bye," fell from Lashmar, musingly, "did you ever hear of a Lady
Ogram?"

"I seem to know the name," answered Mrs. Woolstan, keenly attentive.
"Ogram?--Yes, of course; I have heard Mrs. Toplady speak of her; but I
know nothing more. Who is she? What about her?"

A maidservant entered with the tea-tray. Dyce lay back in his chair,
gazing vacantly, until his hostess offered him a cup of tea. As he bent
forward to take it, his eyes for a moment dwelt with unusual intentness
on the face and figure of Iris Woolstan. Then, as he sipped, he again
grew absent-minded. Iris, too, was absorbed in thought.

"You were speaking of Lady Ogram," she resumed, gently.

"Yes. A friend of mine down at Alverholme knows her very well, and
thought I might like to meet her. I half think I should. She lives at
Hollingford; a rich old woman, going in a good deal for social
questions. A widow, no children. Who knows?" he added, raising his,
eyebrows and looking straight at Iris. "She might interest herself
in--in my view of things."

"She might," replied the listener, as if overcoming a slight
reluctance. "Of course it all depends on her own views."

"To be sure, I know very little about her. It's the vaguest suggestion.
But, you see, I'm at the moment, when any suggestion, however vague,
has a possible value. One point is certain; I shan't take any more
pupils. Without meaning it, you have decided this question for me; it's
time I looked to other things."

"I _felt_ that!" exclaimed Mrs. Woolstan, her eyes brightening. "That
was what decided me; I see now that it was--though perhaps. I hardly
understood myself at the time. No more pupils! It is time that your
serious career began."

Lashmar smiled, nodding in reflective approval. His eyes wandered, with
an upward tendency; his lips twitched.

"Opportunity, opportunity," he murmured. "Of course it