uch learning in ordinary young men in tweed suits."

"Am I an ordinary young man, then?" I demanded. "Really----"

"Oh, well, you know what I mean!" she said hastily. "You can call me
a very ordinary young woman, if you like."

"I shall do nothing of the sort!" said I. "I have a habit of always
calling things by their right names, and I can see already that you
are very far from being an ordinary young woman."

"So you begin by paying me compliments?" she retorted with a laugh.
"Very well--I've no objection, which shows that I'm human, anyhow. But
here is my uncle."

I had already seen Mr. Francis Raven advancing to meet us; a tall,
somewhat stooping man with all the marks of the Anglo-Indian about
him: a kindly face burnt brown by equatorial suns, old-fashioned,
grizzled moustache and whiskers; the sort of man that I had seen more
than once coming off big liners at Tilbury and Southampton, looking as
if England, seen again after many years of absence, were a strange
country to their rather weary, wondering eyes. He came up with
outstretched hands; I saw at once that he was a man of shy, nervous
temperament.

"Welcome to Ravensdene Court, Mr. Middlebrook!" he exclaimed in quick,
almost deprecating fashion. "A very dull and out-of-the-way place to
which to bring one used to London; but we'll do our best--you've had a
convoy across the park, I see," he added with a glance at his niece.
"That's right!"

"As charming a one as her surroundings are delightful, Mr. Raven," I
said, assuming an intentionally old-fashioned manner. "If I am treated
with the same consideration I have already received, I shall be loth
to bring my task to an end!"

"Mr. Middlebrook is a bit of a tease, Uncle Francis," said my guide.
"I've found that out already. He's not the paper-and-parchment person
you expected."

"Oh, dear me, I didn't expect anything of the sort!" protested Mr.
Raven. He looked from his niece to me, and laughed, shaking his head.
"These modern young ladies--ah!" he exclaimed. "But come--I'll show
Mr. Middlebrook his rooms."

He led the way into the house and up the great stair of the hall to a
couple of apartments which overlooked the park. I had a general sense
of big spaces, ancient things, mysterious nooks and corners; my own
rooms, a bed-chamber and a parlour, were delightful. My host was
almost painfully anxious to assure himself that I had everything in
them that I was likely to want, and fussed about from one