dinner. It was a November evening, and he had been out all day,
and on such occasions the aptitude for delay in dressing is very
powerful. A strong-minded man goes direct from the hall door to
his chamber without encountering the temptation of the drawing-room
fire.

'No; but Lady Lufton was down here.'

'Full of suggestions in favour of Sarah Thompson?'

'Exactly so, Mark.'

'And what did you say about Sarah Thompson?'

'Very little as coming from myself: but I did hint that you
thought, or that I thought you thought, that one of the regular
trained schoolmistresses would be better.'

'But her ladyship did not agree?'

'Well, I won't exactly say that;--though I think that perhaps she
did not.'

'I am sure she did not. When she has a point to carry, she is very
fond of carrying it.'

'But, you see, in this affair of the school she is thinking more of
her protege than she does of the children.'

'Tell her that, and I am sure she will give way.' And then again