Page 55 (1/1)

It is painful to record it, but when the Glenavelin party arrived at noon of the next day it was only to find the house deserted Lady Manorwater, accustouests over the place and found to her horror that it seemed undwelt in The hall was in order, and the tart and rosy lairds of Etterick looked down frons of habitation; but the drawing-rooe rooms were in the same tidy disarray Then, wise from experience, she led the way to Lewis's sanctum, and found there a pretty luncheon-table and every token of men's presence Soon the four tenants arrived, hot and breathless, frouns, Miss Wishart and Lady Manorwater ensconced in the great ar a critic's eye over the unruly bookshelves

Wratislaw's presence at first cast a certain awe on the assembly His name was so painfully familiar, so consistently abused, that it was hard to refrain froreeted hi man with the kind smile and aard manners The truth is that Wratislaas acutely nervous With Mr Stocks alone was he at his ease He shook his hand heartily, declared hiain, and looked with such entleman was cast into confusion

"I must talk shop," cried Lady Manorwater when they were seated at table "Lewie, have you heard the news that poor Sir Robert has retired? What a treasure of a cook you have, sir! The poorto travel, as his health is bad; he wroteNoho is to take his place? And I wish you'd get me the recipe for this toled skein of his aunt's questions

"I heard about Merkland last night from Wratislaw I think, perhaps, I had better make a confession to everybody I never intended to bother with party politics, at least not for a good reed You will have a very weak opponent, Stocks, so I hope you will pardon "

The candidate turned a little pale, but he suished an opponent But I thought that yesterday you would never have drea"