saying, desperately, too busy defending herself
to cry out or make a noise. "Oh, the satin,
the satin !"

And all the while the dog was leaping
higher and higher, the girl's weary arm was
relaxing, and the sun was coming dancing
through the swaying branches, glittering over
her bare yellow head and flushed face, as if in
sheer merry mockery of her terror.

Then up dashed the rider. A few skilful
cuts with his whip sent the enemy, dog and
boys together, all howling in chorus, and flying
at their utmost speed.

"The little devils! I have a mind to ride
after them," said the rider.

"Oh, please, don't punish them any more,"
said Hester. "They are only children, and
they didn't mean to hurt."

By this time Hester had put her cloak
straight, and was tying her bonnet strings, and
tightening the bindings of her parcel, containing
the plum-coloured satin for Lady
Humphrey's new dress. And the stranger was
observing her earnestly.

"I cannot be mistaken," he said at last;
"you are Hester Cashel."

"Yes," said Hester, smiling, "and you are
Mr. Humphrey."

"And how in the name of wonder," said he,
"do you come to be here alone with that great
parcel on your hands? When did you return
from your school in France?"

"I never was at school in France," said
Hester.

"My mother told me—" he muttered, and
stopped suddenly.

Hester turned pale. She had been indulging
all the day in I know not what pleasant visions
of a kinder and more helpful Lady Humphrey
than she had ever yet known to be met with at
the end of this journey. Her old distrust of
her benefactress was roused now at a word;
and she wished herself back again in Sloane-street.

"Why will you not shake hands with me,
little Hester?" asked Pierce Humphrey, as the
girl persisted in not noticing his outstretched
hand.

Hester hesitated a moment, then laid her
hand frankly and gravely on his, with an air as
if to say, "I will do it for this once."

"What is the drawback?" asked Pierce,
smiling.

"Why you see," said Hester, hugging her
parcel, and regarding the young officer with a
business-like air, " when I knew you before I
was a sort of young lady with your mother up
yonder, but now I am a dressmaker's apprentice.
I am only the young person from Mrs.
Gossamer's coming out to fit on Lady
Humphrey's new gown. And dressmakers' apprentices
are not expected to shake hands with
officers in the king's service."

"Well, upon my word! what a bit of pride
to be sure! A dressmaker's apprentice. I
must see what is the meaning of this. A
dressmaker's apprentice! You no more look the
part than I look like the Emperor of China.
Why, Hester, your father was a gentleman."

"No matter," said Hester, with an imperious
little nod of the head that shook two great
tears from her eye-lashes. "I earn the bread I
eat, and that is better than being lady or gentleman.
It is late now, Mr. Humphrey, and I
must get on to the palace. I am very much
obliged to you for sending that dog away."

"But you are not going to carry that great
parcel," said Pierce Humphrey. "Give it me
and I will lay it across my saddle. I am going
to the palace also."

"You forget how the people would laugh,"
said Hester, smiling in quite a motherly way at
his good nature.

The young soldier reflected a little, and did
not urge this point.

"Well, at least, I insist upon your allowing
me to escort you," he persisted.

But Hester remembered some holiday
adventures related by one Sally Perkins in the
workroom, and she steadfastly refused the
honour of Mr. Humphrey's protection on her
way.

"You will give me pain if you do," she said
earnestly.

"Then I will not give you pain," said Pierce
Humphrey, gallantly, and he rode off at a quick
pace towards the palace.

CHAPTER IV. LADY HUMPHREY'S DREAM.

BY the time Hester arrived, Lady Humphrey
was busy entertaining her son. As they sat
together, she looking at him constantly, her face
was softened and altered. He was her pearl of
price, her single possession. It was the one
great provocation that kept all her life angry,
the fact that this son was poor. She could not
thank Providence for anything that befel her,
because this glorious creature had not been
born a millionnaire.

She had never shown him much tenderness
of manner, she had chafed with him always
when there was a question of money, she had
expected from him much homage and obedience;
but she had worked for him all his life. And
she had worked without success. By the assistance
of a cunning man of business she had
thrown herself desperately into one speculation
after another, and had uniformly failed in all.
She was poorer at this moment than ever she
had been before she had begun to plan and
scheme. And Pierce was deeply in debt, had
a talent for getting into debt which would be
sure to reach a rare state of development in
the future, in the fostering atmosphere of good
society, and with the constant culture of
expensive habits and a generous disposition. At
this present moment Lady Humphrey was
bankrupt in pocket, and embittered at heart.
There was just one bright streak on her
horizon, and she was speedily to see it overcast.

She had been sitting at her writing desk, a
seat where she was often to be found, and she
had been casting up figures in a dreary looking
book. She was so anxious to gain money, this