170 EACECOURSE AND COVERT SIDE. 



Grange about seven o'clock, little thinking of 

 the ordeal thi'ough v^hich I had to pass before 

 quitting the house. The squire came into the 

 hall to receive me. 



" Cecil, my dear boy, I am delighted to see 

 you at last, and welcome you to the Grange ! " 

 he said, in the kindest possible manner. " I'm 

 sorry that Hugh won't be down; but he can't help 

 it, of course. All the men are hunting to-day, but 

 they'll be back very soon, and I hope you vdll 

 hnd some friends amongst them. We dine at 

 eight, so perhaps you'd like to see your room ? " 



I thought my finding friends was an ex- 

 ceedingly improbable contingency, but gladly 

 hastened upstairs to dress as quickly as possible. 

 It did not take long to complete my toilet ; and 

 on descending I found that the room had only 

 one occupant, a young lady — if those prosaic 

 words can lead to any description of the vision of 

 loveliness which encountered my admiring eyes. 

 Yenus Aphrodite in sea-green muslin ! Her face 

 — but how can I hope even faintly to describe 

 her, or the smile with which she graciously 

 acknowledged my bow of salutation ? I was 

 searching for that right expression which is 

 always so very difficult to find just at the 

 moment when you want it most, when the 

 squire entered the room, followed by several of 



