approve of Mistress Polly's sentimental sigh.

"There's my lady!" gasped Miss Barbara suddenly, clutching Master
Clutterbuck's arm vigorously. "Lud! but she is beautiful to-day!"

Beautiful indeed, and radiant with youth and happiness, Marguerite
Blakeney had just gone through the gates and was walking along the
sward towards the band stand. She was dressed in clinging robes of
shimmery green texture, the new-fashioned high-waisted effect
suiting her graceful figure to perfection. The large Charlotte, made of
velvet to match the gown, cast a deep shadow over the upper part of
her face, and gave a peculiar softness to the outline of her forehead
and cheeks.

Long lace mittens covered her arms and hands and a scarf of
diaphanous material edged with dull gold hung loosely around her
shoulders.

Yes! she was beautiful! No captious chronicler has ever denied that!
and no one who knew her before, and who saw her again on this late
summer's afternoon, could fail to mark the additional charm of her
magnetic personality. There was a tenderness in her face as she
turned her head to and fro, a joy of living in her eyes that was quite
irresistibly fascinating.

Just now she was talking animatedly with the young girl who was
walking beside her, and laughing merrily the while:

"Nay! we'll find your Paul, never fear! Lud! child, have you forgotten
he is in England now, and that there's no fear of his being kidnapped