regular features, a clear complexion | A streamlet by the way-side reflected softly colored, and a form of matchless them in its clear surface, except where symmetry and grace. No wonder the it fumed and fretted around the stones young men looked on in profound ad- in its channel, and murmured in harmiration, for even the gay saloons of London could furnish few such beauties. She came on, swinging her parasol upon her shoulder and plucking as she passed some of the fresh wild roses that grew in the shade of the beech trees. A soft, sweet murmur came thrilling over the clover to the ears of the two young men. It was low, but clear and mellow as the pipings of the nightingale. She had passed before they recognized the familiar little song she touched the ground behind, and in front was humming so much fascination it projected over the low door and was there in the sound of the voice shaded a bench whereon a man sat mony with the voices of birds, the soft breezes and the distant tinklings of the flock. They came in sight of the strange beauty just where the woods ceased, and a broad bare common stretched out to the sky. There was a hill in front, with sparse, stunted bushes growing on it, and beyond that the land fell into a circular hollow, which held a poor and mean-looking cottage in its centre. The yellow thatching of the roof almost that the air and the words were hardly binding fagots. A sink of stagnant noticed. Ensign Vallance gave a sigh when she had passed out of sight, as if his strength had been taxed to support the interest he had felt. "What do you think of her?" he asked. "Think of her, Vallance? By Jove, that is a surprise. But I say, my boy, where can this wood-nymph dwell, I wonder. What do you say to taking a stroll up this way, so that one can keep the blooming immortal in sight?" water was near the house with a few spare ducks waddling about it, and a flock of geese was performing evolutions on the hill-top with their wings in the wind. The watchers hesitated, and finally came to a stand-still. The lady, however, passed over the hill, and after skirting a pool she went on to the cottage in the hollow. "That can hardly be the nest of such a bird," said Ensign Vallance. "I wonder who she is, Cholmondeley?” "I have not the most remote idea, my dear fellow. Perhaps Duffield may know. We will ask him, at any rate." They did question the steward that day at dinner about the lady they had seen. Vallance was on his feet in an instant, and without further parley the two young patricians hurried up the dusty road to regain a glimpse of the rustic beauty. Their way was a pleasant one. Stately trees bordered it on one side, and on the other wide fields of oats and barley stretched away to brown "Oh, I suspect it was Miss Grace hedges with shadows crossing them O'Connor," said he. "The daughter and trembling on their fitful, waving of Robert O'Connor, a rich old fellow gold. A few flecks of spotless gossamer in these parts, but the proudest devil trembled upon the open sky of blue. of a Papist I ever met. Would you believe it, he had the impudence to Hang it, old fellow, that would be meddle in the management of your altogether too prosy for such a meloestates, sir. I have more than once dramatic atmosphere as we breathe found him breeding discontent among here. Just remember the cold-blooded the tenantry." formality of such a thing. Master of George thought of the conversation Ballygavin gets into lumbering state he had overheard the morning after coach-stops at Mr. Robert O'Connor's his arrival, and as he fixed his eyes-card sent up-Mr. Robert wishes the upon Duffield he asked in a short, Master of B. at Jericho but comes down abrupt way. "Had he no cause ? The steward read his face before replying; he felt that he had inadvertently said too much.” all smiles and bows-talks politics and popular grievance-opens wine-introduces Miss O'Connor-model girl, plays nicely, talks opera, society, and the poor heathen-no, she's a Papist, "Cause," said he laughing; "cause, now that I remember, and I would be indeed; why, sir, this Robert O'Connor spared the poor heathen. But, Valwould discover a grievance in Paradise. | lance, that is what a call would amount I fancy that if he ever gets there he to. I don't relish such a venture." will publish pamphlets and make speeches about the people's wrongs, if he has the facilities. Bliss for O'Connor would consist in an uninterrupted attention on the part of the celestials to his own peculiar views." Well, my dear fellow, what do you propose to do?" "Masquerade. Do you see?" 66 Hanged if I do." "Adopt an incognito." "I'm still unequal to the conundrum." "He is a demagogue, then ?" "Yes and no. He is a demagogue, "Why, Vallance, what I mean is to inasmuch as he always is prodding at pick an acquaintance under an assome popular sore. But he never sumed character." Play countryman, comes forward as a public speaker, nor beggar, anything at all. There would does he take active part in the politics be fun in that adventure. Wouldn't of the county." "He is an odd fish," Cholmondeley said, when he rose from the table. A few days after this, Cholmondeley took Vallance by the button-hole, as he lounged about the small but neat garden of the castle. "Vallance," said he "I am going to know that girl, that Grace O'Connor." "Yes?" said the ensign, "going to visit the venerable parent with the grievances? He must be a rare bore, I judge." there?" "Ah, I see now. 'In her ear he whispers gayly,' so and so, and all that down to Harry Vane was Lord of Bromley." "A good idea, Cholmondeley. No end of fun in it. When does ye invisible prince set out on his adventure?" Cholmondeley laughed. "Oh, the sooner the better," said he, “I have seen Miss O'Connor going to that mean little shanty beyond the park. I shall "No, I am not going to do that. meet her there. By the by, I wonder what brings her to such a place. I shall investigate that too." That afternoon Ensign Vallance was observed by Matty the milkmaid escorting a tramp of a fellow along the edge of the park. "God save you kindly," said the woman, bustling up as he stopped before her. "Will you stop and rest a bit?" "I will that, for I'm sore tired. It's a fine day." "It's quare company the sojer gintle"It's fair weather," said the woman, man's keepin'," thought she. "I niver still looking curiously at her visitor. saw them gintry spakin' to a mane- Cholmondeley felt unpleasant. He lookin' crayther like that before." saw that his assumption of the brogue Matty little knew that the "mane-look-was a failure, and he determined ing crayther" in the baggy clothes was to change it gradually to ordinary her aristocratic master, the Honorable plain speech. As he was talking he George Barrisford Cholmondeley. arranged a story in his head about "I wish you success, old boy," being a journeyman in search of emEnsign Vallance called after him when ployment. they parted. Then he said to himself, "Cholmondeley is up to all sorts of larks. I wonder has that girl touched a soft spot in his heart. By Jove, she's pretty enough. And the ensign strolled off to smoke his cigar in peace. "Och, it's hard the times are on poor people like us," said the woman; "and God knows we resave little enough kindness from thim that ought to show it. Here's meself wid the childre' widout a bite and my man down Cholmondeley went on over the hill wid the sickness and not able to do a and down to the cottage in the hollow. hand's turn. And, would you belave It was a far more wretched place than it, Grinding Duffield has ordhered us he had thought. The walls were twice to lave this poor roof in the bulging outward and abounded in course o' the week. One of his min crevices choked with mud. There was a look of desolation on the bare heather in front and the garden patch behind, where a hedge-row lay trodden down and broken. In the door a pale woman was sitting at a wheel, spinning flax, a couple of small children with scant but clean dresses on them, played on the floor. "Good morning, my good woman," said Cholmondeley, trying to assume an Irish brogue, but with little success. was here before you came, to see if poor Patrick was able to be moved. It's hard to think that afther all the pains we've tuk wid this slip o' land it's to be taken from us when we need it most." "You don't mean to tell me that Duffield is going to dispossess—turn you out, I mean." The woman looked up and saw that the stranger's handsome face was flushed. He had almost forgotten himself in his haste. The woman looked at him with a "Indeed himself is going to do it, surprised, amused face. The incognito's bad scran to him. But thin they say "get up" contrasted strangely with that he's only doin' the young masther's his handsome features and trim mous-biddin.' God knows, a fine gintleman tache. like him might have other consarns than |