rious--goes the clerk!"

he said, as he watched the little red streams flickering out of the
black paper ashes. "And now for the answer! Bother the woman for
plaguing me, (for I know it's none of my aunt's handiwork), in the
middle of trial-week."

"I say, Julian, don't be too fiery in your answer, you know, for you
really ought to appease the poor old lady. Only think of that impudent
little brother of yours! I must make the young rogue's acquaintance
some day."

But Julian had seized a sheet of note-paper, and wrote to his aunt, not
condescending to notice even by a message her obnoxious amanuensis:--

"My Dear Aunt--I cannot believe that the letter I received to-day
really emanated from you, at least not in the language in which it was
couched.

"I have neither time nor inclination," (`Hoity, toity, how grand we
are!') "to attend to the foolish trifle to which your amanuensis,"
(`Meaning me!' screamed the irrepressible Sprong), "alludes; but I am
quite sure that, on reflection, you will not be inclined to judge too
hardly a mere piece of fun and thoughtless liveliness; for that
Frankie meant to be rude, I don't for a moment believe. I shall only
add, that if I were not convinced that _you_ can never have sanctioned
the expressions which the lady," (Julian had first written `person,'
but altered it afterwards), "who wrote for you presumed to apply to my
brothers, and above all, to my mother, I should have good reason to be
offended; but feeling sure that they are not attributable to you, I
pass them over with indifference. I am obliged to write in great
haste, so here I must conclude.

"Believe me, my dear Aunt, your affectionate nephew,

"Julian Home."

Lady Vinsear was secretly pleased with the spirit which this letter
showed, and was not sorry for the snubbing which it gave to her
lady-companion; but she determined to exercise a little tyranny, and
fancied that Julian would be too much frightened to resent it.
Accustomed to the legacy-hunting spirit of many parasites, the old lady
thought that Julian would be like the rest, and hoped to enjoy the sight
of him reduced to submission and obedience, in the hopes of future
advantage; not that she would exult in his humiliation, but she was glad
of any pretext to bring the noble boy before her as a suppliant for her
favour. Accordingly, setting aside her first and better impulses, she
wrote back a sharp reply, abusing