either of us; and it must be a rare pleasure when he can
serve the Queen and gladden his own heart together."

"You 'd maybe help me with the letter, doctor," asked she, half
diffidently.

"Not a doubt of it, Mrs. Butler; my poor aid is quite at your service:
but had n't we best, first of all, speir a bit, and see what the
lad thinks of it? Let us find out that it's the life he 'd take to
willingly. It's no by way of reproach to him I say it; but we all know
that when a young fellow gets accustomed to ride a blood horse with a
groom after him, and eat his soup with a damask napkin over his knees,
it's a sore change to mount a mustang and digest raw buffalo."

"If you mean by that, Dr. Stewart, that Tony has been spoiled by a life
of luxury and indolence, you do him great wrong. The poor dear boy is
half heart-broken at-times at his purposeless, unprofitable existence.
There are days he is so overcome that he can scarcely lift up his head
for it. This very morning was one of them; and it was only when Sir
Arthur sent over a third time to say, 'You must come; I' ll take no
excuse,' that I could persuade him to set off. They are expecting young
Captain Lyle to-day, and making all sorts of festive preparations to
receive him. Tony has charge of the fireworks; and as Sir Arthur says,
'If you leave your chemicals to other hands, the chances are we shall
all be blown up together. '"

"I remember the Captain when he was just so high," said the doctor,
holding his hand about three feet from the ground,--"he used to come to
me every Saturday for a lesson in Scripture; smart enough he was, but a
proud sort of boy, that kept his class-fellows at a distance, and when
the lesson was over would not speak to one of them. He was the baronet's
son, and they were the sons of his father's tradespeople. I remember I
made a complaint against him once, I forget for what, but be never came
to my house after."

Mrs. Butler seemed not to follow the doctor's speech; indeed, her whole
heart was so set on one object and one theme that it was only by an
effort she could address herself to any other. The humblest piece in
which Tony played was a drama full of interest. Without _him_ the
stage had no attraction, and she cared not who were the performers. The
doctor, therefore, was some time before he perceived that his edifying
reflections on the sins of pride and self-conceit were unheeded. Long
experience had taught him tolerance in such matte