110 TALES OF FINK AND SILK. 



occupant of tlie room, a rising barrister ; " his face seems 

 familiar to me." 



" Oh, that's Lord Middleford," rephed his friend. " Has 

 a place in Marlshire, and keeps a pack of hounds there 

 too." 



"Now, I know him," said the young lawyer; "I was 

 defending a ruffian at the Hillingborough Assizes some time 

 ago, who had nearly killed one of his gamekeepers. He was 

 an idle brute of a fellow, who lived by poaching, and he was 

 very bitter against Lord Middleford, who had been particularly 

 active in suppressing poaching, at which art my esteemed 

 client was a past master. Lord Middleford had also evicted 

 him for non-payment of rent. He had not paid a ha'penny 

 for^ years, and the cottage wanted rebuilding. I shall never 

 forget the threats that he hurled at him, and he looked as 

 though he meant them." 



Monday evening found Lord and Lady Middleford and 

 their friend Captain Charlton at Manby Towers, and after 

 dinner the two little daughters of the house came into the 

 dining-room to say "good-night" before retiring to bed. 

 Two bonny little maidens they were, with their chestnut- 

 tinted hair and merry brown eyes. Marcia, the eldest, aged 

 nine, at once flew to her father, while Olive, her junior by two 

 years, made for Captain Charlton, always a favourite with 

 children. 



" Do you know whose birthday it is to-day, Daddy ? " said 

 Marcia to her father. 



"Haven't the slightest idea. Yours? No, it's in April. 

 Olive's ? No, that's next month. Perhaps it's mother's or 

 Captain Charlton's ? " 



" You know it's yours." 



*' Mine, I didn't know I had one." 



" Oh, yes, you have, and I hadn't forgotten the day — 

 although mother reminded me. I have it down in my birth- 



