let you have them till you are ready to start." And she held them up in a sort of pantomimic triumph to Sir John.

Mr. Sowerby was all unheeding. "Have you got a good copy of Horsley's Britannia Romana '?" said he to Sir John.

"Ask Jacob here. He knows all about the books."

"I wanted to see some book that would give an account of that inscription in the Blowcaster Museum. Now, though Horsley is old-fashioned, of course, and often obsolete in his remarks, at least he's accurate about his facts, and that's more than can be said of half the modern-"

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man.

Carriage at the door, sir," said a foot

"You and I are the only two ready, Mrs. Sowerby," said Sir John, laughing all over his face at the dumb show with which Amoret was indicating her husband's slippers and her own indignation.

You

"I know, my dear, I know. needn't mind me; I shan't be half a minute. And perhaps while I am upstairs Mr. Jacob Pike wouldn't mind

finding me that copy of the Britannia Romana.'" And he shuffled up-stairs, with his folio under his arm.

CHAPTER III.

"A babe in a house is a well-spring of pleasure, A messenger of peace on earth, a link between angels and men."

M. F. Tupper.

MEANWHILE Lady Grizel was conducting Miss Frances up-stairs. Almost the first exclamation of the latter was, "Isn't Mrs. Sowerby a charming person?"

"She is vera generally liked."

"Such a sweet face! and how beautifully she sang that last song! I could fancy what a mother she must be."

1

Lady Grizel's Scotch will be found throughout rather broader than probably was the case in reality. It must be remembered that the Scotch accent cannot

be conveyed on paper.

Well, if singing were all that were necessary for an infant, I think Mrs. Sowerby's would ha' little cause to complain. But, Miss Hooker, if ye'll believe me, it's now a little past four o'clock, and she has not been near the unlucky bairn since she was dressed this morning. That wasna ower airly, I'll allow."

"Is there a nice nurse?"

"Why? Have ye any special reason for asking?" said Lady Grizel, who had a true Scotchwoman's aversion to giving a plain answer to a plain question.

"Oh, no; only I should like to see the baby."

"We thought we had best put Mr. and Mrs. Sowerby and their nurse and baby all together down this passage," said Lady Grizel.

As she spoke there was a sound of voices and of suppressed laughter inside one of the rooms, and before the ladies

had time to do more than glance at one another a footman in livery burst into the passage with a broad grin on his face, which changed to a deep flush and a sudden gravity of expression when he saw the ladies.

"I would like to know what brings ye here, Barnett," said Lady Grizel severely. Beg your la'ship's pardon. I only came to see if nurse had any letters for the post."

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And as if in proof of his veracity he produced a letter from his pocket, and fled before Lady Grizel had time to put into shape the stately reprimand she had on her lips.

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May we come in?" said her ladyship, tapping at the nursery door-a piece of good breeding which nothing would have induced her to abandon.

"Please do, my lady," said a sweet voice, a well-sugared voice at least, from within; and there was the nurse, one of those