e them undressed for a year,
and all the time the clock struck nohow!"

"This is an anatomical study instead of a clock," lamented Frank.
"I say, Cecil, do you like your friends to sit in their bones, like
Sydney Smith?"

"I never saw such a stupid old set of conservatives!" broke in
Rosamond, feeling for Cecil's mortification. "In an unprejudiced
eye the room looks infinitely better, quite revivified! You ought
to be much obliged to Cecil for letting you see all her beautiful
things."

"Why don't you favour us with yours?" said Charlie.

"I know better! Mine aren't fit to wipe the shoes of Cecil's! When
I get into the Rectory you'll see how hideous they are!" said
Rosamond, with the merriest complacency. "Couvre-pieds to set your
teeth on edge, from the non-commissioned officers' wives; and the
awfullest banner-screen you ever saw, worked by the drum-major's own
hands, with Her Majesty's arms on one side, and the De Courcy ones
on the other, and glass eyes like stuffed birds' to the lion and
unicorn. We nearly expired from suppressed laughter under the
presentation."

Then she went round, extorting from the lads admiration for Cecil's
really beautiful properties, and winning gratitude for her own
cordial praise, though it was not the artistic appreciation they
deserved. Indeed, Cecil yielded to the general vote for the
restoration of the humming-birds, allowing that, though she did not
like stuffed birds in a drawing-room, she would not have banished
them if she had known their history.

This lasted till Charlie spied a carriage coming up the drive, which
could be seen a long way off, so that there was the opportunity for
a general sauve qui peut. Cecil represented that Rosamond ought to
stay and receive her bridal visits; but she was unpersuadable. "Oh
no! I leave all that for you! My time will come when I get into
the Rectory. We are going in the dog-cart to the other end of the
parish.--What's its name--Squattlesea Marsh, Julius?"

"Squattlesford!" said Charlie. "If Julius means to drive you, look
out for your neck!"

"No, it's the other way, I'm going to drive Julius!--Come along, or
we shall be caught!"

Cecil stood her ground, as did Anne, who was too weary and
indifferent to retreat, and Frank, who had taken another view of the
carriage as it came nearer.

"I must apologize for having brought nothing but my father's card,"
said Lady Tyrrell, entering with her sister, and shaking hands