baby-boy or gal.'

'Hum! Is this gross collusion, Mr. Tom?' Lady Jocelyn inquired.

'What does that mean?'

'Have you spoken of this before to any one?'

'I haven't, my lady. Decided on it this morning. Hem! you got a son,
too. He's fond of a young gal, or he ought to be. I'll settle him when
I've settled the daughter.'

'Harry is strongly attached to a dozen, I believe,' said his mother.
'Well, Tom, we'll think of it. I may as well tell you: Rose has just
been here to inform me that this Mr. Harrington has turned her head, and
that she has given her troth, and all that sort of thing. I believe such
was not to be laid to my charge in my day.'

'You were open enough, my lady,' said Old Tom. 'She's fond of the young
fellow? She'll have a pill to swallow! poor young woman!'

Old Tom visibly chuckled. Lady Jocelyn had a momentary temptation to
lead him out, but she did not like the subject well enough to play with
it.

'Apparently Rose has swallowed it,' she said.

'Goose, shears, cabbage, and all!' muttered Old Tom. 'Got a stomach!--
she knows he's a tailor, then? The young fellow told her? He hasn't
been playing the lord to her?'