ur son should be a master of fence. Not only may he at
court be forced into quarrels, in which it will be necessary for
him to defend his honour, but in all ways it benefits him. Look at
his figure; nature has given him health and strength, but fencing
has given him that light, active carriage, the arm of steel, and a
bearing which at his age is remarkable. Fencing, too, gives a
quickness, a readiness, and promptness of action which in itself is
an admirable training. Monsieur le colonel has been good enough to
praise my fencing, and I may say that the praise is deserved. There
are few men in France who would willingly have crossed swords with
me," and now he spoke with a hauteur characteristic of a French
noble rather than a fencing master.

Madam Holliday was silent; but just as she was about to speak
again, a sound of horses' hoofs were heard outside. The silence
continued until a domestic entered, and said that Sir William
Brownlow and his son awaited madam's pleasure in the drawing room.

A dark cloud passed over the old colonel's face as Mistress Dorothy
rose and, with a sweeping courtesy, left the room.

"Let us go into the garden, monsieur," he said abruptly, "and see
how your daughter is getting on."

Adele was talking eagerly with Rupert, at a short distance from
whom stood a lad some two years his senior, dressed in an attire
that showed he was of inferior rank. Hugh Parsons was in fact the
son of the tenant of the home farm of the Chace, and had since
Rupert's childhood been his playmate, companion, and protector.

"Monsieur mon pere," Adele said, dancing up to her father, and
pausing for a moment to courtesy deeply to him and Colonel
Holliday, "Monsieur Rupert is going out with his hawks after a
heron that Hugh has seen in the pool a mile from here. He has
offered to take me on his pony, if you will give permission for me
to go."

"Certainly, you may go, Adele. Monsieur Rupert will be careful of
you, I am sure."

"Yes, indeed," Rupert said. "I will be very careful.

"Hugh, see my pony saddled, and get the hawks. I will run in for a
cloth to lay over the saddle."

In five minutes the pony was brought round, a cloth was laid over
the saddle, and Rupert aided Adele to mount, with as much deference
as if he had been assisting a princess. Then he took the reins and
walked by the pony's head, while Hugh followed, with two hooded
hawks upon his arm.

"They are a pretty pair," Colonel Holliday said, l