th Captain
De Baron she remembered all that had been said by Guss Mildmay and Mrs.
Houghton, and remembered also her own decision that nothing of that
kind could matter to her. It was an understood thing that ladies and
gentlemen when riding should fall into this kind of intercourse. Her
father was with her, and it would be absurd that she should be afraid
to be a minute or two out of his sight. "I ought to have been hunting,"
said Jack; "but there was frost last night, and I do hate going down
and being told that the ground is as hard as brickbats at the kennels,
while men are ploughing all over the country. And now it's a delicious
spring day."

"You didn't like getting up, Captain De Baron," she said.

"Perhaps there's something in that. Don't you think getting up is a
mistake? My idea of a perfect world is one where nobody would ever have
to get up."

"I shouldn't at all like always to lie in bed."

"But there might be some sort of arrangement to do away with the
nuisance. See what a good time the dogs have."

"Now, Captain De Baron, would you like to be a dog?" This she said
turning round and looking him full in the face.

"Your dog I would." At that moment, just over his horse's withers, she
saw the face of Guss Mildmay who was leaning on her father's arm. Guss
bowed to her, and she was obliged to return the salute. Jack De Baron
turned his face to the path and seeing the lady raised his hat. "Are
you two friends?" he asked.

"Not particularly."

"I wish you were. But, of course, I have no right to wish in such a
matter as that." Lady George felt that she wished that Guss Mildmay had
not seen her riding in the park on that day with Jack De Baron.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE DISABILITIES.

It had been arranged that on Friday evening Lady George should call for
Aunt Ju in Green Street, and that they should go together to the
Institute in the Marylebone Road. The real and full name of the
college, as some ladies delighted to call it, was, though somewhat
lengthy, placarded in big letters on a long black board on the front of
the building, and was as follows, "Rights of Women Institute;
Established for the Relief of the Disabilities of Females." By friendly
tongues to friendly ears "The College" or "the Institute" was the
pleasant name used; but the irreverent public was apt to speak of the
building generally as the "Female Disabilities." And the title was made
even shorter. Omnibuses were desired to st