f the hall door. "You're going back to town
the day after to-morrow, you say, so I shan't see you again?"

"No, my lord", said Johnny.

"Look you here, now. I shall be up for the Cattle-show before
Christmas. You must dine with me at my hotel, on the twenty-second
of December, Pawkins's, in Jermyn Street; seven o'clock, sharp. Mind
you do not forget, now. Put it down in your pocket-book when you get
home. Good-bye, doctor; good-bye. I see I must stick to that mutton
chop in the middle of the day." And then they drove off.

"He'll make him his heir for certain," said Vickers to himself, as
he slowly returned to his own quarters.

"You were returning from Allington, I suppose," said Crofts, "when
you came across Lord De Guest and the bull?"

"Yes: I just walked over to say good-bye to them."

"Did you find them all well?"

"I only saw one. The other two were out"

"Mrs Dale, was it?"

"No; it was Lily."

"Sitting alone, thinking of her fine London lover, of course? I
suppose we ought to look upon her as a very lucky girl. I have no
doubt she thinks herself so."

"I'm sure I don't know," said Johnny.

"I believe he's a very good young man," said the doctor; "but I can't
say I quite liked his manner."

"I should think not," said Johnny.

"But then in all probability he did not like mine a bit better, or
perhaps yours either. And if so it's all fair."

"I don't see that it's a bit fair. He's a snob," said Eames; "and I
don't believe that I am." He had taken a glass or two of the earl's
"severe Falernian," and was disposed to a more generous confidence,
and perhaps also to stronger language, than might otherwise have been
the case.

"No; I don't think he is a snob," said Crofts. "Had he been so, Mrs
Dale would have perceived it."

"You'll see," said Johnny, touching up the earl's horse with energy
as he spoke. "You'll see. A man who gives himself airs is a snob; and
he gives himself airs. And I don't believe he's a straight-forward
fellow. It was a bad day for us all when he came among them at
Allington."

"I can't say that I see that."

"I do. But mind, I haven't spoken a word of this to any one. And I
don't mean. What would be the good? I suppose she must marry him
now?"

"Of course she must."

"And be wretched all her life. Oh-h-h-h!" and he muttered a deep
groan. "I'll tell you what it is, Crofts. He is going to take the
sweetest girl out of this country that ever was in it, and he don't
des