Would they have brought about the same result if Miss Dane had n't been there to do it for us all? I think they might, either of them, but what they would ask as a favor Miss Dane is inclined to take as an expected tribute. I'm sure she would have been very much surprised if the other people had made any difficulties. She counts on producing the right effect at once.

We were very happy and comfortable at our little table after that, and proved to be sufficiently pariah-like ourselves to keep off green-eyed prowlers for quite a long time. It was n't till we in our turn were waiting to pay that I suddenly realized, by the change in Miss Dane's expression, that we were attracting attention. As I was sitting just opposite her I could n't see what the attentive object behind my chair might be, but when Peter and Betty turned their heads recognition dawned in both their faces. Then Betty sprang up and moved past me. 'Oh, Georgina, how funny,' she said, adding, with all possible speed, 'and how nice!'

Peter Dane was up, too, by this time, and I was getting on to my own feet when I noticed Miss Dane's look of amused, ironical, and rather detached interest. 'Yes, here's your chance,' I thought, remembering what you had told me about her desire to meet Miss Craske.

She leaned forward a little to ask, 'Is that Miss Craske's brother?'

It was, of course. Oswald Craske, looking larger than ever in cool summer afternoon clothes and a straw hat the kind of advertised 'lounge suit' that the Sunday papers display near their 'Fashions for Men' column. He was much more wideawake looking than at Daisy's dinner and greeted Betty with quite effusive cordiality. It was in vain that we

offered them our places - all our places; they said they had had tea, and it was so obvious that they meant to wait beside us till an amalgamated walking-party became sheer necessity that even if Betty had n't suggested that we should go down to the pond together we should inevitably have had to do it. And then I had a further revelation of the power of Miss Craske's determination. In the teeth of Miss Dane's evident intention.of annexing her for her own partner, and Peter's quite equally evident wish not to do any such thing, she contrived to march off with him by her side, well ahead of the rest of the party. I can't tell you just how she managed it, because the waiter had hurried up with his bill as soon as he noticed that the company had taken to its feet, and I had to give him half my attention. I heard Miss Craske say to her brother: 'And tell Miss Romer about Lynton, Oswald. She must be persuaded to join us there.' By the time I had settled with the waiter I found that Betty had started off with Craske and was already beyond my power of rescue. Miss Dane was waiting for me, still a good deal amused but less detached; indeed distinctly irritated by the frustration of her own effort, I thought.

I looked at her, and I wanted to laugh. But I was n't sure if she would take laughter as just a simple confession of defeat. So we set off quite sedately at my usual pace - you know what a lame crawl that is and saw the others vanishing before us. There was something about the sight of Craske's great bulk bending towards Betty that choked all desire to laugh out of me. I was just angry astonishingly angry. All the detestable things Oswald Craske had said and insinuated about Peter came rushing into my mind, and I cursed myself

SO

It was a much shorter way much shorter that we headed off the first couple. I wish you could have seen the broad spread of relief in Peter's face when he saw us. As for Miss Craske's face, it changed quite comically, but towards a very different expression. But she was helpless against the three of us, and had to fall in with our proposal to stroll back to meet the other two. She came along quietly, though much too cross to be polite to us. Miss Dane, however, was perfectly equal to keeping up every appearance of the highest amiability all round, and the other lady was sulky and silent until we came to a place where a path branched off to the left. Then she burst into speech. 'We ought to turn down there,' she said; 'Oswald's sure to come that way. It's his favorite path.'

Miss Dane rose to the emergency at once. Then we'll certainly try it,' she agreed, adding, 'but you and Mr. Romer had better keep along this path, Peter, in case they have n't come the other way after all.'

If I could ever have found it in my heart to pity Georgina Craske that would have been the moment, when I watched her turn off beside Miss Dane, who just glanced back to smile at Peter and myself. Peter smiled, Peter smiled,

too, but with less genuine enjoyment of the situation. 'Is n't it difficult to talk to people who always look for concealed meanings in the idiotically simple things you say?' he asked. 'It makes me feel that everyone, myself included, is so much more terrifying and dangerous than I had any idea of.'

I confessed that I was frightened by Miss Craske, too.

'I'm sure,' Peter went on, 'that if I saw much of her I should begin to calculate and plot even for a piece of cake or a cup of tea. The force of her expectation would turn me into a conspirator. At present I feel that I must have fallen headlong into her traps, because I really did n't see the bearings of her questions and I could n't take time enough to think about them before I answered. One ought to be allowed as long to reply to her as to make a move in chess.'

You see, he was feeling very much disturbed about it. But we did n't pursue the subject any further; for Betty and her badly chosen partner hove into view just then. The emotion he displayed was n't a bit like relief, and he showed his vexation by persistently continuing his conversation with Betty without taking any notice of us. But she was so much surprised and pleased herself that he had to break off, and then he lapsed. into sulky silence very much like his sister.

Betty was rather silent, too, at first, as we all turned back towards the little lake. And when we came within sight of it I felt her give such a decided little tug to my coat sleeve that I stopped short. I want to look at that funny tree over there, Nicolas,' she said; 'do come with me.'

Transparent dodges have the advantage over more artful ones that they nearly always do effect their

object. Craske and Peter halted on the path, but they neither of them offered to come with us. And Betty unburdened her mind as quickly as possible as soon as we were out of their hearing.

'I forgot to tell you before, Nicolas, but Aunt Daisy can't have me at Oaklands because they've found something wrong with the drains and she's got a sore throat and is going to have them up. And Georgina wants me to go to Devonshire with her and Mr. Craske next week if I can. But I'd much rather be at Greenways with Nanda if you think she could have me. Do you think I could say I was going there? You see, one has to be so very definite with Georgina. So if I could say I'd promised

'Yes, of course you have,' I assured her. 'You've promised quite faithfully to come and stay with me as soon as you leave Eaton Square. I know Nanda is counting on you for help with all sorts of carpets and curtains and fenders and things like that. She can't choose them all alone, it would be so dreary. But you and she can do lots of it at Greenways, and you'll stay at St. Leonard's Terrace whenever you come up to town. I'll tell Miss Craske we can't possibly spare you.'

So you see you're committed to taking care of her now. I knew I could answer for you. Of course Betty had n't expected to find Craskes on the fair face of Kew Gardens, so she had n't got a cut-and-dried plan ready to oppose to Georgina's insistences. These began again quite soon, for she and Miss Dane came hurrying up behind us both silent by that time, so I suppose Miss Dane's patience had given out. After that we wandered rather uncomfortably, with Miss Craske incessantly trying to monopolize Betty, and the Danes and myself

How nice to get your letter this afternoon and find that you've arranged life so beautifully for us all. I believe you were made for social crises, and thank heaven you don't have to use up your talents in that direction professionally, but can save them for your private friends and the discomfiture of their enemies.

This is only an enlarged post card to say that I mean to come back on Tuesday by the day boat, arriving at Charing Cross somewhere about five o'clock. If either of you meet me, I shall appreciate it very much but shan't feel neglected if you don't. Are you sure it isn't an awful bother to put up both Betty and me at St. Leonard's Terrace, because of course it's far the nicest plan from my point of view and will give me the maximum of your society? And do explain to Betty, by the way, that she lives either with you or me now, and is never to consider again a housing problem which might drive her under the roof of the Craskes.

I am charmed to think I shall see you so soon. As you remind me, we are merely going to meet in order to part, but a good-bye to the extent of Rye and London is n't nearly as serious as that of Italy and England. It really is a silly plan to go away for such a long holiday without you, however delightful my other companions may be. Will you steal a week in the autumn and take Betty and me to France? It is lovely then, with its pale blue sky and gold shadows of the poplars reflected in the dark rivers. Have you ever specialized in gold shadows, Nicolas? They are to be found chiefly in autumn and spring, and are some of the most enchanting things in the world. In autumn France does them much better than England, because of her habit of planting long lines of trees by the side of her rivers, and her weather too is more suitable, turning the leaves into pure gold before they have to die. But in spring English gorse at the edge of a still pool gives a perfect example, or even February daffodils reflected in the mirror of a wet London pavement. Not only for their own beauty am I so interested in them, but for ulterior personal motives, because they always wake my consciousness that I have seen it all before, not as my present self but as someone else. Everybody has the same feeling some time or another and provoked by varying circumstances. There is none more elusive nor more intriguing, for it's as clear as lightning in that moment of recognition and as swiftly vanishes. You are so much

more immediately interested by new people than by any things that I expect human beings rouse the memory in you. Have you ever identified any particular person in the act? Of course it would be very nice if it were me or Betty, but I'm afraid nothing so suitable can have happened or we should have commented on it before! Anyway, you must give serious consideration to a week of French October and all its charming possibilities.

After six days' experience of me and regular study of your distinguished editorial methods, Canon Roscoe remarked in the middle of to-night's dinner: 'I think your brother's mind must be distinctly more relevant than yours, Mrs. Wychwood.'

Deceived by the noise of Paris and his profession, I replied, slightly aggrieved: 'I don't think Nicolas even begins to be reverent,' and then discovered in the next second that he really had been quite discerning and that I'd given you away unnecessarily. But Mrs. Esmond kindly came to my speedy rescue with the assurance that though you might be an improvement on me, I was at any rate a very great advance on Betty, and as he had to have all Betty's past history explained to him, this effectually distracted his attention.

Good-bye for only two days now. I know it's not in the least manners to say so, but it is much nicer for me that you are not married any more since you don't really mind any longer about Viola.

Yours,

Nanda.

It is now some hundred and twenty years since the last Irish Parliament came to its end, slain by its own children, or a majority of them, in spite of the impassioned protests of those who refused to allow their judgments to be perverted, or their votes extracted, by the glittering bribes, pecuniary and political, at the service of all occupying seats in either Irish House. Among the minority was the great-grandfather of the present writer, 'Silver-tongued Bushe,' afterwards Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, whose description as 'Incorruptible in Barrington's well-known list of bribes and rewards, has always been regarded by his numerous great-grandchildren as a most precious family possession. Having this hereditary interest in the last Irish Houses of Parliament, as well as that other interest which every Constitutional Nationalist Irishman must feel, I received with very mixed feelings the wholly unexpected invitation to form a member of a body which came nearer to being an Irish Parliament than anything else which has sat in this country for something like a century and a quarter. The proceedings of the Convention were private; they were fenced around by the provisions of the Defense of the Realm Act a measure which during the latter days of the Convention seemed to fall, as far as we were concerned, somewhat into disuse. No official shorthand note was taken of the speeches. This was

the decision of the Convention itself; and it is one to be regretted, for it deprives the outside world of reading matter of the very highest excellence and eloquence. All who sat through the discussions will admit that they reached and maintained a very high level; and, as he is, to our irreparable loss, no more with us, I may be permitted to say that no one who heard them is ever likely to forget at least two great speeches made by that lamented leader, John Redmond.

Future generations, if they are interested in the matter, will have to rely upon the copious notes of speeches (doubtless made by others as well as by the present writer) when they have been disinterred from the diaries and dispatch boxes in which they now repose. In what follows there is no raising of the curtain of privacy which veiled and veils the proceedings of the Convention. But a few personal impressions may not be out of place; and a few elucidations of the report may even be useful. Elucidations; for, though everybody might find out these things from the report, it is not a very easy document to follow; and it was above all things infelix opportunitate sud, for its author, the Prime Minister, did his best, not without considerable success, to slay his own offspring by bringing it before the public at the same moment as the other and much less acceptable bantling, Irish Conscription.

Nearly twelve months have elapsed since the Irish Convention came into