bed of shrubs in the centre of the little lawn,
just faintly pricked with points of green. A few aconites showed their
yellow heads above the soil.

"What are those wretched little flowers?" said Mr. Redmayne, pointing
at them contemptuously.

"Oh, don't say that," said Howard; "they are always the first to
struggle up, and they are the earliest signs of spring. Those are
aconites."

"Aconites? Deadly poison!" said Mr. Redmayne, in a tone of horror.
"Well, I don't object to them,--though I must say that I prefer the
works of man to the works of God at all times and in all places. I
don't like the spring--it's a languid and treacherous time; it always
makes me feel that I wish I were doing something else."

They paced for some minutes round the garden gossiping, Redmayne making
very trenchant criticisms, but evidently enjoying the younger man's
company. At something which he said, Howard uttered a low laugh, which
was pleasant to hear from the sense of contented familiarity which it
gave.

"Ah, you may laugh, my young friend," said Redmayne, "but when you have
reached my time of life and see everything going to pieces round you,
you have occasionally to protest against the general want of backbone,
and the sentimentality of the age."

"Yes, but you don't REALLY object," said Howard; "you know you enjoy
your grievances!"

"Well, I am a philosopher," said Mr. Redmayne, "but you are overdoing
your philanthropics. Luncheon in Hall for the boys, dinner at
seven-thirty for the boys, a new cricket-ground for the boys; you
pamper them! Now in my time, when the undergraduates complained about
the veal in Hall, old Grant sent for us third-year men, and said that
he understood there were complaints about the veal, of which he fully
recognised the justice, and so they would go back to mutton and beef
and stick to them, and then he bowed us out. Now the Bursar would send
for the cook, and they would mingle their tears together."

Howard laughed again, but made no comment, and presently said he must
go back to work. As they went in, Mr. Redmayne put his hand in Howard's
arm, and said, "Don't mind me, my young friend! I like to have my
growl, but I am proud of the old place, and you do a great deal for it."

Howard smiled, and tucked the old man's hand closer to his side with a
movement of his arm. "I shall come and fetch you out again some
morning," he said.

He got back to his rooms at ten o'clock, and a moment afterward