friendship
reigned. The former had never spoken of his past history, but the
colonel never doubted that, like so many refugees who sought our
shore from France from the date of the revocation of the edict of
Nantes to the close of the great revolution, he was of noble blood,
an exile from his country on account of his religion or political
opinions; and the colonel tried in every way to repay to him the
hospitality and kindness which he himself had received during his
long exile in France. Very often, when lessons were over, the two
would stroll in the garden, talking over Paris and its court; and
it was only the thought of his little daughter, alone in his dull
lodgings in Derby, that prevented Monsieur Dessin from accepting
the warm invitation to the evening meal which the colonel often
pressed upon him. During the daytime he could leave her, for Adele
went to the first ladies' school in the town, where she received an
education in return for her talking French to the younger pupils.
It was on her half holidays that she came over to dance with Rupert
Holliday.

Mistress Dorothy did not approve of her son's devotion to fencing,
although she had no objection to his acquiring the courtly
accomplishments of dancing and the French language; but her
opposition was useless. Colonel Holliday reminded her of the terms
of their agreement, that she was to be mistress of the Chace, and
that he was to superintend Rupert's education. Upon the present
occasion, when the lad had left the room, she again protested
against what she termed a waste of time.

"It is no waste of time, madam," the old cavalier said, more firmly
than he was accustomed to speak to his daughter-in-law. "Rupert
will never grow up a man thrusting himself into quarrels; and
believe me, the reputation of being the best swordsman at the court
will keep him out of them. In Monsieur Dessin and myself I may say
that he has had two great teachers. In my young days there was no
finer blade at the Court of France than I was; and Monsieur Dessin
is, in the new style, what I was in the old. The lad may be a
soldier--"

"He shall never be a soldier," Madam Dorothy broke out.

"That, madam," the colonel said courteously, "will be for the lad
himself and for circumstances to decide. When I was his age there
was nothing less likely than that I should be a soldier; but you
see it came about."

"Believe me, Madam," Monsieur Dessin said deferentially, "it is
good that yo