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Then the old lady uttered a small cry of disie had a moment of very acute annoyance

"What does he say? Why not?" she asked

There was a pause She watched Mrs Baxter's lips e turned, and turned again She took another piece of toast There are few things ments of a letter doled out piecemeal

"He doesn't say He just says he's very busy indeed, and has a great deal of way totranquilly, and laid the letter down

"Nothing ie, consumed with annoyance

"He's been to the theatre once or twice Dear Laurie! I'ry indeed She thought it abominable of the boy to treat his --not much, indeed, beyond the rabbits, which the , and a dozen or two of wild pheasants--yet this shooting had always been done, she understood, at Christun

She determined to write him a letter

When breakfast was over, with a resolved face she went to her room She would really tell this boy a home-truth or two It was a--a sister's place to do so The h, would do nothe dear boy that, of course, he knew best, and that she was very happy to think that he was taking such pains about his studies So selfishness, and it seemed that no one was at hand but herself Therefore she would do it

She did it, therefore, politely enough but unht that she would like to step up to the village and post it She did not want to relent; and once the letter was in the post-box, the thing would be done

It was, indeed, a delicious ate the trees overhead, still with a fen belated leaves, soared up in filigree of exquisite worke-sparrow's egg The genial sound of cock-crowing rose, silver and exultant, from the farm beyond the road, and the tiny street of the hamlet looked as clean as a Dutch picture