'Tm obliged, ma'am," says I, awkwardly, "deuced obliged for that."

Miss Martinet smiled kindly at me. "Then we understand one another," she said quietly. "I knew that if your Uncle Brandon chose you as his heir he was certain that you would fit in with our way of doing things at Greystones."

Now, Lizzie, it may be that Miss Martinet understood, as she put it. I'll be damned if I did! Still I sensed, don't you see, some good sport ahead-just the kind that you and I love to hear of! Beyond the lace curtains of her upstairs drawing-room, the sun shone upon waves that were green as glass. Distantly, from the bandstand on the Marine Parade, came sounds of regimental brass.

"Tomorrow morning," said Miss Martinet, "you shall make your inspection. It was your uncle's wish that we should make you welcome here. I and the girls were, upon his instructions, to offer you every facility. Every facility." She looked at me, as she repeated those words, with that same depth of meaning which had made my heart beat faster a few moments before.

Ah, Lizzie! Tomorrow morning! What tales shall I have to tell you when I take up my pen tomorrow evening? For the present, as the lamp burns low, I bid you a loving goodnight and remain,

Your own adoring Charles

LETTER 2

Greystones, 24 April 1904

My dearest Lizzie,

How differently must we think of my Uncle Brandon after my adventures today! You might easily believe he had owned Grey-stones-Miss Martinet and the girls included-and that it was a private seraglio with Miss M. as a duenna!

After breakfast my hostess led me across the sunlit lawns to the brick stable with its white cupola and clock. "We have two groups of girls at Greystones," she said proudly, "first, the more refined young ladies who are taught sewing or embroidery, and second, the young women trained to be stable-girls."