countenance, notwithstanding the difficulty
he obviously experienced in keeping his nose
out of the palette.

He jumped up to receive us, avoiding
collision with the roof, as it seemed to me, with
the skill of a practised acrobat. The first
feeling to be expressed on either side, was
delight at meeting again under any
circumstances. I then proceeded to take my
friend to task severely for his injudicious
choice of a residence.

"Are you mad, Mildmay?" I asked. I
was always the spokesman of the brotherhood,
just as Strong was the great workman.
We have since sustained our
original characters pretty constantly, I
doing little but talk, he sticking faithfully
to work. The relative results may be
imagined.

The ill-lodged chieftain, having indicated
how his visitors might best accommodate
themselves on bed, boxes, &c., looked at me
with a quiet twinkle that was peculiar to
him, and answered:

"No. I think not. Why?"

"Why? I never saw such an abominable
dog-hole in my life. You'll break your neck
down that step-ladder."

Mildmay chuckled.

"Oh, no, Charley, I think not. I am
generally pretty careful of my neck."

"But you can't paint here without lying on
the floor."

"And suppose I couldn't do it without
standing on my head, Charley. If I saw the
absolute necessity—-"

"Absolute necessity be hanged! Really
Strong, you push your economy too far.
Where is the saving in a shilling or two a-
week, when you must lose half the daylight;
cramp and cripple yourself; perhaps catch
your death of cold."

"You are under a mistake, Charley. This
place is the very reverse of economical. I
might have had a couple of high rooms in
the best part of the village for the money
I pay for it."

"Then, in the Something's name, what
earthly motive—-?"

I was here interrupted by another of our
party, Little Mack, as we used to call him.
He is called Little Mack, still, by a select few;
but, to the world at large, he is McCorquhodale,
A.R. A., the fearless and original landscape
painter. Little Mack seldomed opened
his mouth except to say something short,
rude, and sensible: generally in
contradiction of the last speaker. When we spoke
sensibly, Mack was content to listen and
learn.

"Now, look here, Charley," said Mack,
angrily, roughing up his flossy hair into an
aggressive crest, "none of your infernal
nonsense. I never knew Mild do anything without
a good motive yet."

"Thank you, Mack," said Mild, with an
approving smile. "I generally try to have
one. But I'll put Charley out of his suspense.
Who let you in?"

"A fearful Caliban," I answered, "with a
turnip head and beef arms."

"Good. Turnip-head is an inadequate
phrase; but you are right as to the arms.
Did you observe her grin?"

"I should think so. She grinned hard
enough."

"Then, don't you perceive my motive
now?"

"Really, Strong, I don't."

"That girl is my motive."

"Mildmay Strong, I am surprised at
you!"

"I'd give anything to be near that girl for
a month. There is not such a pair of elbows
in the kingdom: letting alone the ankles. She
doesn't like me as yet; but, by the time I've
plied her with a few small presents and
delicate attentions—you understand, now?"

I did, thoroughly, and laughed heartily, as
the truth dawned upon me.

"You incorrigible deceiver! And you mean
to use all the artful and insidious wiles you
are master of, to induce that unsuspecting
child of nature to—-"

"To sit for Audrey, sir. She's booked.
Nothing can save her. I've determined
on the conquest."

The explanation was received with a loud
shout of approval, and the cock-loft was at
once forgiven.

We pitied the unfortunate victim. We
knew there was no escape when the terrible
Mildmay had spread his nets to win her for
his model.

We filled our pipes at our host's tobacco-
jar, which he kept stocked only for the use
of his friends—and turned out bodily into
the village, where we found no difficulty in
securing such extra frugal accommodation as
our troop required. In our selection of
quarters we were generally biassed, under
Mildmay's direction, by the propinquity of
some picturesque object, pump, well, tree,
cowhouse, or pigsty considered suited to our
respective bents.

The picture made silent but rapid progress.
I say "the picture," for the rank and file of us,
when not engaged as models for our leader
(in which capacity we always felt it an
honour to officiate) occupied ourselves in the
most desultory course of sketching. The
wood was soon painted in, and a marvellous
piece of cool green autumnal truth it was.
All was ready for the figures. Two friends
who had respectively agreed to stand for the
faces of Jaques and Sir Oliver Martext, had
not been able to join us. I had been fixed
upon for Touchstone, avowedly in right of a
reputation I possessed as wag, or humorist;
but not improbably, because Mildmay
knew in his heart that I had the external
points of a fool about me. I could be
had in London at any time. The great object
was to secure the Audrey before holiday