education, for Agatha was eagerly availing herself of the counsel of
Gillian, and the books shown to her; with the further assistance of
the cousin, Dolores Mohun, now an accredited lecturer in technical
classes, though making her home and headquarters at Clipstone.

Thekla's views of young ladyhood were a good deal more fulfilled by
the lessons on cycling which were going on among the other young
people after the game of croquet had ended. Every size and variety
seemed to exist among the Clipstone population, under certain
regulations of not coasting down the hills, the girls not going out
alone, and never into the town, but always "putting up" at Aunt
Jane's.

Vera and Paulina were in ecstasy, and there was a continual mounting,
attempting and nearly falling, or turning anywhere but the right,
little screams, and much laughter, Jasper attending upon Vera, who,
in spite of her failures, looked remarkably pretty and graceful upon
Valetta's machine; while Paula, whom Mysie and Valetta were both
assisting, learnt more easily and steadily, but looked on with a few
qualms as to the entire crystal rock constancy that Vera had
professed, more especially when Jasper volunteered to come over to
the Goyle and give another lesson.

Magdalen, after her game at croquet, had spent a very pleasant time
with Lady Merrifield and her brother and sister, till they were
imperiously summoned by Primrose to come and give consent to the
transfer of Phoebus, or to choose between him and the Mufti, to whom
Thekla had begun to incline.

The whole party adjourned to the back settlements, where Magdalen was