Her first sensation on meeting Mrs.
Lockwood was therefore, as has been
stated, a sensation of relief. It was soon
evident that there was no fear of Mrs.
Lockwood's failing in discrimination or
tact.

"You met my son at Lowater House,
Miss Desmond?" said Mrs. Lockwood,
stitching away with nimble fingers at the
hem of a handkerchief. She had been
drinking tea with Lady Tallis, and had
seen Maud for the first time that evening.

"Yes. Mr. Lockwood was staying there
at the same time with myself."

"Captain Sheardown has always been
very kind to Hugh. His father, Admiral
Sheardown, was my husband's earliest
friend and patron. The admiral had a
great taste for art."

"So had poor papa!" exclaimed Lady
Tallis. " I remember Clara—your dear
mother, my pet—had a very pretty taste
for flower-painting. And papa had a master
from Dublin to stay in the house nearly the
whole of one summer on Clara's account.
My brother James and I couldn't enjure
him! Sure he was the snuffiest old wretch
ye can imagine. We would plague his
life out by hiding his snuff-box."

"I expect Hugh home next week,"
pursued Mrs. Lockwood, calmly.

"And, indeed, I will be delighted to see
him again," said her ladyship. " He is a
pearl of young men."

"I don't know about being a pearl,"
said Mrs. Lockwood; " but Hugh is a good
son. I think he is on the whole a good
man."

"Of course he is! Why wouldn't he
be? Hugh is an excellent creature."

"It is a bold assertion to make. In all
my life I have only met with two good
men."

"Well now, on my honour, I do believe
there are a great many good men in the
world— if one only knew where to find
them!" said Lady Tallis. Then she added,
"As for you, you ought to go down on
your knees, and thank Heaven for such a
son as Hugh. Oh, if I had only had a boy
like that I'd have doted on him!"

The faintest possible smile flitted over
Mrs. Lockwood's face. She kept her eyes
fixed on her work, as she answered, " I
have a sneaking kindness for Hugh,
myself. But he has his faults."

"I don't believe he has a fault in the
world!" protested Lady Tallis, energetically.

"I can assure you. that he has, though!
Amongst others—obstinacy. Hugh is very
obstinate. Ask Miss Desmond if she did
not get the impression that my son has a
strong will of his own."

Maud had been listening silently to the
talk of the two elder women, and had
been watching Mrs. Lockwood's face with
an intentness that would have been
ill-mannered had it not been for the fact that
the latter kept her eyes cast down on her
work, and so was unconscious of the young
girl's close observation.  Maud was a little
disconcerted when the heavy dark lids
were suddenly raised, and the bright eyes
beneath them were fixed upon her own.

"Oh, I—I don't know," she said. " I
suppose a man ought to have a strong
will."

"And a woman—-?"

"Oh, a woman," interrupted Lady
Tallis, " must just make up her mind to
have no will at all! You may fight and
struggle, but a man is always the strongest,
au bout du compte! And as he has all the
power, I don't see what use her will can be
to a woman!"

"Is that your philosophy, Miss Desmond?"

"Oh, I?  I don't think I have any
philosophy," answered Maud, simply.

"At all events, rightly or wrongly, my
son is obstinate, and he wishes to take a
step that I think ought to be deferred yet
awhile. He is dying to set up on his own
account, as the phrase goes. Digby and
West, to whom he was articled, have
offered to keep him in their office on
advantageous terms, for a couple of years.
I say, hold fast your one bird in the hand!
Hugh hankers after the two in the bush.
We shall see. I am afraid Captain Sheardown's
councils have confirmed Hugh in his
desire. My son writes me that several of
his father's old friends in the neighbourhood
of Shipley and Danecester have been
encouraging him to make the attempt;
and have been promising him all sorts of
things. Hugh is only twenty-four years
old; and he believes most of what is said
to him."

"I am quite sure," said Maud, with
some warmth, "that Captain Sheardown
would say nothing that he did not mean."

"Doubtless. But promises impossible
of fulfilment are made with the most
perfect sincerity every day."

After a little more desultory chat, Mrs.
Lockwood folded up her work, and went
away, saying, that she would leave Miss Desmond
to go to rest: and that she would