some fashion, with the swell's luggage," added she,
dropping her voice to a whisper,--"eight trunks, eleven carpet-bags, and
four dressing-boxes, besides what I thought was a show-box, but is only
a shower-bath."

"My people will take every care of her," said Maitland.

"Is Fenton still with you?" asked Mark.

"Yes; he had some thoughts of leaving me lately. He said he thought he
'd like to retire,--that he 'd take a consulate or a barrack-mastership;
but I laughed him out of it."

Sir Arthur and Lady Lyle had now come down to welcome the new arrivals;
and greetings and welcomes and felicitations resounded on all sides.

"Come along with me, Maitland," said Mark, hurrying his friend away.
"Let me show you your quarters;" and as he moved off, he added, "What a
piece of ill-luck it was that you should have chanced upon the greatest
bores of our acquaintance!--people so detestable to me that if I had n't
been expecting your visit I 'd have left the house this morning."

"I don't know that," said Maitland, half languidly; "perhaps I have
grown more tolerant, or more indifferent,--what may be another name for
the same thing; but I rather liked the young women. Have we any more
stairs to mount?"

"No; here you are;" and Mark reddened a little at the impertinent
question. "I have put you here because this was an old _garcon_
apartment I had arranged for myself; and you have your bath-room yonder,
and your servant, on the other side of the terrace."

"It's all very nice, and seems very quiet," said Maitland.

"As to that, you'll not have to complain; except the plash of the sea at
the foot of those cliffs, you 'll never hear a sound here."

"It's a bold thing of you to make me so comfortable, Lyle. When I
wrote to you to say I was coming, my head was full of what we call
country-house life, with all its bustle and racket,--noisy breakfasts
and noisier luncheons, with dinners as numerous as _tables d'hote_. I
never dreamed of such a paradise as this. May I dine here all alone when
in the humor?"

"You are to be all your own master, and to do exactly as you please. I
need not say, though, that I will scarce forgive you if you grudge us
your company."

"I'm not always up to society. I'm growing a little footsore with the
world, Lyle, and like to lie down in the shade."

"Lewis told me you were writing a book,--a novel, I think he said," said
Mark.

"I write a book! I never thought of such a thing. Why, my dear Ly