civil to all his friends, as far as constitution and habit would allow.

"I cut her comb for her, and handled her without gloves," was his report
of the interview to his wife, who was amazed at his nerve.

When Sir Robert got a note addressed to "Lord Heathcote, Baronet,"
beginning "Dear Sir," and signed "Very respectfully your obedient servant,
" and read it aloud at the breakfast-table as "a most extraordinary
production," Mrs. Sykes had absolutely no comments to make. And when Ethel
opened her letters and found among them an invitation to take a
buggy-drive, commencing "Dear Miss," Mrs. Sykes still held her peace,--a
fact that was full of significance.

It was Miss Noel who said, "Really, Ettie dear, I can't have you driving
about furiously in a gig without a groom. But pray thank Mr.--what is the
name?--Price for being so kind as to propose it, meaning to give you
pleasure. He has been so obliging, too, as to procure tickets for us to
the play, and has kindly offered to escort us: I have a letter from him as
well. A most lovely day, this. There seems no end, really, to the fine
weather. Remind me to look at the thermometer after breakfast, before the
sun catches it, love. It must have been _quite_ two degrees hotter
yesterday than the day before; but I neglected to make the entry in my
journal, and so cannot be quite positive. Only fancy! Is it not annoying?
I am getting sadly forgetful about everything. And I so dislike guess-work
and conjecture in a record of the kind. I should like to see the
rose-trees at home this morning: the garden must be gay with flowers by
this,--though the last time I went pottering about it in my pattens there
was nothing out but the blackthorn."

Other entertainments followed closely upon the dinner, of which Mrs. Sykes