Gladys, the Reaper

at home this evening, my dear,'

rincess of bores, Miss Nugent, has invited herself to tea. I certainly do wish Rowland Prothero

ady Mary co

e is gone to spend a few day

he would live with you; it would be very pleasant, a

mes to persuade her to come here and live with us for

at the first word; we never were very familiar. She is stiff

l as a small portion of ascendancy over her determined will. She had left Glanyravon to reside with an aged father, who, having lately died, lef

nd scarcely allowed her ci-devant governess to alight before she was overwhelming her with embraces. Mr Gwynne followed somewhat more leisurely, and received Mi

reserved, neither very much over-dressed nor very much under-dressed, neither very merry nor very grave. Freda used to say that she was the personification of gentle dignity and serenity, and in the days of her Italian studies called her occasionally La

orning for her for a week past, the first impulse of the older lady w

n so very sorry for you,' w

ilence, when Miss Hall,

thing could console me for the loss of my last

s melancholy and its mirth, for there was much of both, and brin

n not to make herself agreeable to a person she was determined to consider conceited, were bad ingredients for a dish of good sociable converse. By degrees, however, they thawed a little. Mr G

ourse, must have been much gratified, and so fo

onfused when he saw Miss Gwynne's eyes turned upon him; 'I merely gained a scho

I suppose he thinks if he had

at Baliol?' as

g been, there, otherwise I should have gone to Jesus College and tried for a Wel

r Neville, Sir Thomas Nevil

ome friends of my aunt's, and we became

e cle

continues in his resolution to go to it. I have just had an invitation to spend a

cy?' asked Freda, with a wicked

swering the visible smile by a blush; 'she

great deal of energy, and all that sort of thing; I should

s daughter glanced inquiringly at Rowland, as if wondering what he could say to so dubious a speech. He appeared equally at a loss, an

owe her a heavy debt of gratitude for giving me at

eda; 'and are you going to London?' she

e Bishop of London to a ci

ss, sir?' said Mr Gwynne. 'Who knows but we may see you Bis

oud that the son of his most respectable te

th herself for feeling more inclined to be friendly with him since she had heard tha

epeat; but in due course of time the ladies retired to th

think we have in the di

h; perhapth Thir Hugh Pry

ux? Little ferret eyes li

Rithe

ng a

ptain L

much nea

pt that Mr Howel Jenkinth, who, the

hat do you think of his co

th he ith very handthome, but I am thu

has been in excellent society, and is going at once to

hours before she had been lamenting the necessi

thing. There ith one at Tht Jameth'th, with a pale face and black hair

lf; I daresay he will lik

hero?' inquired Miss Nugent, when that y

I do not quite under

ing to a London curacy; I thou

shall probably be in the city-a ve

alwayth go to Tht Jameth'th,

as she found that Rowland was going into the city. She al

but I suppose St James's is

to Tht Jameth'th; don't you with you were go

s grave in

is the largest field to work in, Miss Nu

in Tht Jameth'th. I onthe went by chance into thuch a nathty

annot go many steps in the London parishes, be they fashionable or unfashionable, without enteri

l. Freda could not help noticing the sudden animation in

ondon is a subject I quite dread to hear discussed, it is so hopeless. One can

s; plenty of police, active magistrates,

Rowland; 'they want Christian sympathy, Christian teaching

m very warmly, when she met a glance so earnest and appealing, and withal so beautiful in its earnestness, that she could n

onically, as her father and Rowland sat down to ches

ked chess, Freda?

to lose a game that I think it is better not to play at all than to run

would be to control the

eeling as a good general would have if he lost

mest, both in victory and defeat,' murmured R

ing,' said Mr Gwynne nervously; 'I

aid Rowland; 'I know i

ts, Serenità?' said Freda. 'By the way that would

Rowland, but was

y am sorry to stop your amusement, and so

will go directly

permitted to accompany them. One other great wish he also had at his heart, the conversion of Miss Gwynne to a

he game must be an oversight, I think. Excuse me, but I

our afterwards, when the ladies returned from their walk, and candle

for us, Seren

a duet with me?

her and another and another

lated and rubbing his hands

, general, defea

e a subaltern,

ll; 'all the Welsh are so musical that I

acred music; but I know very f

hen shall we three meet again," "The Canadian Boat Song," "The Sicilian Mariner," and I know

aid Rowland, and the g

y creditably in the glees, all of which he had either tried or heard sung. Freda was quite astonished. She had a great taste for music herself, and a good voice, but would never sing with any one but Miss Hall, a piece of wilfulness that her father occasionally reproached her with

d his thanks

nfided to any one, but when Miss Hall expressed her opinion that 'Mr Prothero was a sensible, unaffected young man, but shy,' Freda condescende

London to be ordained, and so