and round the Crescent, or stood pawing the silent Sunday street
before No. 15, for very nearly an hour, even till Hilary came home.
It was vexatious to have to make excuses for Ascott: particularly as
his godfather said with a laugh, that "young fellows would be young
fellows," they needn't expect to see the lad till midnight, or till
to-morrow morning.

But though in this, and other things, he somewhat annoyed the ladies
from Stowbury, no one could say he was not civil to them--exceedingly
civil. He offered them Botanical Garden tickets--Zoological Garden
tickets; he even, after some meditation and knitting of his shaggy
grey eyebrows, bolted out with an invitation for the whole family to
dinner at Russell Square the following Sunday.

"I always give my dinners on Sunday. I've no time any other day,"
said he, when Miss Leaf gently hesitated. "Come or not, just as you
like."

Miss Selina, to whom the remark was chiefly addressed, bowed the most
gracious acceptance. The visitor took very little notice of Miss
Hilary. Probably, if asked, he would have described her as a small,
shabbily-dressed person, looking very like a governess. Indeed, the
fact of her governess-ship seemed suddenly to recur to him; he asked
her if she meant to set up another school, and being informed that
she rather wished private pupils, promised largely that she should
have the full benefit of his "patronage" among his friends. Then he
departed, leaving a message for Ascott to call next day, as he wished
to speak to him.

"For you must be aware, Miss Leaf, that though your nephew's