at the photograph on the mantelpiece, wondered what had happened to his
own son.

"I don't suppose I should know him if I saw him," continued Mrs. Kingdom,
addressing a respectable old arm-chair; "London is sure to have changed
him."

"Is this water-cress?" inquired the captain, looking up from his plate.

"Yes. Why?" said Mrs. Kingdom.

"I only wanted information," said her brother, as he deposited the salad
in question in the slop-basin.

Mrs. Kingdom, with a resigned expression, tried to catch her niece's eye
and caught the captain's instead. Miss Nugent happening to glance up saw
her fascinated by the basilisk glare of the master of the house.

"Some more tea, please," she said.

Her aunt took her cup, and in gratitude for the diversion picked out the
largest lumps of sugar in the basin.

"London changes so many people," mused the persevering lady, stirring her
tea. "I've noticed it before. Why it is I can't say, but the fact
remains. It seems to improve them altogether. I dare say that young
Hardy--"

"Will you understand that I won't have the Hardys mentiond in my house?"
said the captain, looking up. "I'm not interested in their business, and