138 less, and the trim ankles displayed by her short dress, and set off by London boots, were the admira- tion even of Aunt Immy, who could not endure her. ‘“ Flora,” said her father as they walked along, “J wished to remind you that it is hardly kind to | leave Mrs. Escott alone for the whole morning as you did to-day. What were you doing?” “JT was singing,” said Flora, a little resentfully ; “and then I had some croquet with Escott and | Jack Heydon.” “ Hardly so usefully spent a morning as might be,” said the Colonel, “I don’t think you would find Nest and Winifred spending a morning in that way.” Flora tossed her head indignantly. Poor Colonel Armyn, after all these years, had not discovered that to hold up Nest and Winny as examples of any course of conduct was the surest way to set Flora against it. we owe a great deal of attention to your grand- mother, because she is so much alone in the world, poor woman.” “Tm sure I pay her as much as any one can expect,” said Flora sulkily. “Tf you measure out your duties in that way, I | dare say you do,” answered her father drily. And so they reached home. — Escott was sitting in the garden with his pipe, reading a book which he slipped into his pocket, not unmarked by his father, as Colonel Armyn and Flora entered. The book had arough brown-paper | cover, and Colonel Armyn, watching the furtive- ness of the action, could not help suspecting that it was something better left alone. cloth coat had been transparent, and Colonel Armyn had perceived that the book in question was a volume of Kingsley’s Sermons, he would have been saved many anxious meditations. But Escott took as much pains to conceal from his father’s eye any sign of interest in religion, or pleasure by goodness, as many sons would have done to conceal the op- posite. He could not restrain his perverse inde- pendence of authority, even when his tastes and his father’s tended in the same direction. IV. NEST AND WINNY. I have no joy of this contract to-night : Tt is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden : Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be Ere one can say, It lightens. Romeo and Juliet. “My dear child!” said Aunt Hermy, hugging | “To think of your being | Nest closely to her. engaged |” “Oh, Aunt Hermy! I can’t imagine how he ever came to like me!” said Nest, with tears in her eyes. He went on, “ You know, I feel that | If Escott’s | THE PANELLED HOUSE. | Qh, Nest, Nest!” said Winny, coming up for| _her kiss, “so this is what you do when I am out) ‘of the way. And you really are going to marry a man you had never seen six weeks ago?” Winny spoke lightly, but her heart was aching} all the time. To think how she had been counting | |the days for Nest coming home, and then to find that this coming home was only the prelude toa longer parting! She could have sat down and cried all the rest of the evening, only that she had a utilitarian vein in her, and was quite aware that it would be of no use. “T couldn’t help it, Winny. You will find out the same when your fate comes some day,” said Nest. Winny was convinced in her own mind that her fate had come already, but she only shook her head, while something like tears glittered on the long eyelashes. * And what have you been doing with yourself, Miss Winny?” said Nest, at last, after her news had been well discussed. “Me? Nothing particular,” said Winny, the brown cheek reddening a little as she told this little fib. ‘In the holidays we had one or two rides with the Armyns; and I have been to see one or two of your old women, and old Mrs. Tibbins made me take some of her snuff, to see how I liked it, one day—ridiculous old thing! I’m sure she never did you such a favour, Nest.” Even Nest, though not usually clear-sighted, could see that Winny’s nonsense and merriment were forced. ‘Poor Winny,” she thought, “no wonder that she hates the whole thing coming upon hersosuddenly. ‘‘ Of course I shall always be just the same to her, but I suppose she thinks she will lose me, and that I shall never think of any thing but Edward. I will have it out with her to-night, though, when IJ go to bed.” And that night, Nest, having persuaded Winny to sleep with her, lay awake discoursing into the small hours of the morning. How she had first met Edward, and had heard him deprecate being introduced to her, because “they were all so fearfully plain :” how their acquaintance had progressed and ripened, and how she had at last come to wonder how she could have done without him for so long. “You must try to like him for my sake, Winny, though I don’t think you will find it hard,” said Nest, in her gentle voice. “Til look at him through my rose-coloured-est spectacles,” said Winny. “ And now, Nest, I’ve | got something I must tell you, only you mist be as secret as a mummy if I do.” “ What is it?” said Nest, wondering. “I must tell somebody, and I can’t tell Aunt | Hermy, because she and Mrs. Heydon would | discuss it together, and that would not be fair to |poor Jack. Oh, Nest, imagine my horror the ?