From Blackwood's Magazine. THE LADIES LINDORES. CHAPTER XX. (continued.) "Ан, to be sure, that's Tinto," said Rintoul; "what a fine place it is, to be sure! Carry ought to be proud of such a place. And how do all the squires and squireens or the lairds, I suppose I should say, for local color,how do they like his red flag? There ought to be plenty of hatred and malice on that score." 'Nobody hates or bears malice to our Carry, that I can hear of,” said his mother, with a reproving glance. Her eye caught that of John, and she blushed almost violently for was not he the representative of the squires and squireens? "But Torrance and Carry are one flesh," said Rintoul. "I ought to speak on the subject, as I am the only representative of the accused," said John, with an attempt at a lighter tone; but it was not very successful, and there was a sense of possible commotion in the air, like the approach of a thunderstorm, which the women were far too sensitive not to feel and they threw themselves into the breach, as was natural. When John took his leave, as the lingering daylight still lasted, they strolled with him through the shrubberies, accompanying him towards the gate. It was Lady Lindores herself who took the initiative in this, as her son thought, extraordinary condescension. Rintoul followed, keeping his sister walking by his side, with indignant surprise painted all over him. "Do you mean to say you do this every time that fellow is here?" he asked wrathfully. "We have never been out of doors before when Mr. Erskine has gone away," cried Edith, equally angry, in self-defence. Meanwhile the voices of the others, who were in advance, went on peacefully they talked, unconscious of criticism, while the brother and sister listened. John had begun to tell Lady Lindores of the entertainments he meant to give. He avowed that they had been planned by Rolls, though his first intention had been to keep this fact to himself; but the humor of it overcame him. He could not refrain from communicating so amusing a circumstance to the kind woman, who never misunderstood, and who received all his confidences with maternal pleasure. He was pleased to hear her laugh, and not displeased to lay open the condition of his household to her, and the : humors of the old servants, in whose hands he was still a boy. "It is, don't you think, a judicious despotism on the whole?" he said. The sound of her laugh was delightful in his ears, even though a more sensitive narrator might have thought the laugh to be directed against himself. "It is a delightful despotism," said Lady Lindores; "and as we shall benefit by it in the present case, I entirely approve of Rolls. But I think, perhaps, if I were you, I would not unfold the whole matter to Miss Barbara. Your aunt is born a great lady, Mr. Erskine. She might take it as quite right and within the duty of an old retainer; but again, she might take a different view. For my part, I entirely approve. It is exactly the right thing to do." "You are always so kind," said John gratefully; "and perhaps you will advise me in matters that are beyond my prime minister's sphere." "Rolls and I!" she said, laughing; "it is not often a young man has such a pair of counsellors." Her laugh was so fresh and genuine that it sounded like the laugh of youth. Her children behind her had their curiosity greatly excited: Edith with a little wonder, to think what John could be saying to amuse her mother so much; Rintoul with high indignation, to see in what favor this country neighbor was held. "What does my mother mean?" he said, grumbling in Edith's ear. "She will turn that fellow's head. I never knew anything so out of place. One would think, to see you with him, that he was why, your dearest friend, your - I don't know what to say." 66 Perhaps you had better not say any. thing, in case it should be something disagreeable," said Edith, with a sudden flush of color. "Mr. Erskine is our nearest neighbor- and I hope my mother, at least, does not want any guidance from you.' Oh, doesn't she, though!" murmured Rintoul in his moustache. To his own consciousness his mother was the member of this family who stood the most in need of his guidance. He thought her the most imprudent woman he had ever come across, paying no attention to her children's prospects. They went on thus till they came to the gate, where the Countess of Lindores was actually to be seen by the woman at the lodge, or by any passing wayfarer, in her dinner-dress, with nothing but a lace cap on her head and Edith, in her white robes and shin- | his life a burden to him. Why is she so ing hair -saying good-bye to this rustic absurdly domestic? They have quantineighbor, this insidious squire! Rintoul ties of money, and there are plenty of could not for some time relieve his soul brutes in society to keep him in counteas he wished. He was compelled to nance. She ought to come to town, and shake hands too, in a surly way; and it see people, and enjoy herself. What is was not till Edith had left them that he the good of living like a cabbage here?" permitted himself to make, as he said, a "If you will persuade Carry to emanci few remarks to his mother. She was lin-pate herself a little - to think of herself gering outside, for it was still daylight a little-I will forgive you all your worldthough it was night. ly-mindedness," said his mother, with a smile. "Mother," said Rintoul solemnly, "I see it's all exactly as I feared. You have let that fellow Erskine get to be a sort of tame cat about the house." "After?" said his mother, with a smile. "After! well, that's as you choose. | But of this you may be sure, mother, my father won't stand it. It will only make trouble in the house. He won't let Edith throw herself away. You had better put a stop to it while you are able. I suspected it from the first moment I knew that Erskine was here." "You are very wise, Rintoul," said his mother, with grieved displeasure, all the pain and disenchantment which she had managed to put aside and forget coming back into her troubled eyes. "I don't know if I'm very wise; but I know something of the world," said the son, who was so much better instructed than she was; "and I know, when one has charge of a girl, one oughtn't to allow her to throw herself away. Carry is supposed not to have thrown herself away," said the indignant mother, with a glance towards that centre of her saddest thoughts, the arrogant front and false battlements of Tinto, faintly gleaming like royal Windsor itself in the mists of distance. This was all in contradiction to the changed state of her mind towards Millefleurs and the gradual leaning towards a great marriage for Edith which had come over her. But we are never more hot in defence of our own side than when we have begun to veer towards the other; and Rintoul's lectures had been for a long time more than his mother could endure. "I will try," he said; "and as for my worldly-mindedness, as you call it, how is a fellow to get on in the world, I should like to know? It isn't by money I'll ever push my way. I must look out for other ways and means." "Does that mean an heiress, Rintoul?" His mother was half laughing, half serious. But there was no laughter in Rintoul's countenance. The corners of his mouth were drawn down. His eyes were as solemn as if the matter in question had been life or death. "You may be sure I'll do my duty to the family, whether I like it or not," he said, with heroic gravity. "I don't mean to recommend other people to do what I'll not do myself." But Rintoul sighed. He was heroic, indeed, but he was human. A breath of soft recollections came over him. He, too, had entertained other thoughts - he had allowed himself to be beguiled to gentler visions. But when the voice of duty bade, he felt that he had it in him to be superior to all weaknesses. Come an heiress of sufficient pretensions to be worthy of the son of Lindores, and he would buckle his manhood to him, and marry her without wincing. His duty he was at all times ready to do; but yet to the softer part of life, to the dreams of a youth unawakened to such stern purposes of heroism, he might yet be permitted to give a sigh. John Erskine was the very opposite of this predestined martyr. He felt no weight of family responsibility upon him. All that he wished was a good wish enough, No, Carry cannot be said to have if it had not been altogether beyond posthrown herself away," he said thoughtful-sibility of fulfilment - that the last lord ly, stroking that moustache which looked of Lindores had lived to be a patriarch, so young, while its owner was so wise and and had been succeeded by his son in the politic. Carry should remember," he course of nature. What a difference that said, after a pause, "that she's an indi- would have made to everybody concerned! vidual, but the family comprises many But our young man did all he could to people heaps of her descendants will keep definite plans and hopes out of his be grateful to her, you know. And if the mind. He preferred to get the good of fellow is unbearable, why, a woman has each day as it came. If he thought too always got it in her own hands to make much of them, he felt a dismal certainty 66 that disappointments would follow. He preferred that his present existence should flow au jour le jour. CHAPTER XXI. WHEN the news of the approaching festivities at Dalrulzian were known in Dunearn, Miss Barbara Erskine and her household were flung into a whirlpool of excitement such as had not disturbed their calm for more years than could be reckoned. There was, of course, no question as to the immediate acceptance by the old lady of her nephew's invitation to her to do the honors of his house. She was very much touched and pleased with that satisfaction, above all, which is so sweet to a woman - of feeling that John was doing absolutely "the right thing" in placing her, his old aunt, at the head of affairs. It was a compliment to the family, to the old neighbors, as well as to herself. But it is not too much to say that from the scullery to the drawingroom her house was turned upside down by this great event. Miss Barbara's first thought was, as was natural, that a great many things would be wanted. She went instantly to her "napery" closet, Agnes, her old maid, attending her with the key, and brought out stores of shining damask, milk-white and fragrant, every tablecloth with its pile of napkins, like a hen with chickens. "I never inquired into the napery at Dalrulzian," the old lady said; "but it would be a great temptation to a woman with a sma' family to take the use of it; and for anything I know, he may be in want of table-linen. Ye'll pack a boxful, Agnes, whether or no. There's the great tablecloths with the crown pattern, they are the biggest I have. Ye'll take them, and table-napkins. You may take ten or twelve dozen. They are always useful." "Ánd you'll take the best silver, mem,” said Janet, for this was in her department. If it had been suggested to them that their best Paisley shawls, on which both Janet and Agnes set great store, would have been useful to cover the faded places on the carpet, these devoted women would have sacrificed their most cherished possessions. Miss Barbara's old epergnes and table ornaments, which, happily, were older and less solid than the camel and palm-trees at Tinto, were packed into a huge box, with all her available forks and spoons, and sent off in a cart before her to the scene of the entertainment. Then a still more important question arose as to the help that would be required to pro- | duce a dinner and a ball supper worthy of the Erskine name. Miss Barbara put her trust in Janet, who had managed all her own household affairs for a great number of years. "I'll take ye both with me," she said to the two women, who made her comfort and credit the occupation of their lives, "and when ye consider what's at stake, you'll just put your hand to any thing; and ye like a ploy, both of ye, and plenty of young faces about the house." "Eh, but I do that," said Agnes; "and I would not wonder but Mr. John's meaning to take a survey of all the misses, and him a wanter and a bonnie lad into the bargain. We'll maybe hear who it is to be." But Janet demurred. "It's not to be denied but I would like to go," she said; "and blithe, blithe would I be to put to my hand, if it was only to boil a pitawtie, and proud to think the auld family, so lang away, was holding up its head again. But then there's Bauby Rolls, that's been housekeeper so long, and a good cook and a good woman. She would think we meant to interfere." It would ill become either Bauby or any other person to think me interfering in my nephew's house," said Barbara. "Ye'll just come, Janet. I am saying nothing against Bauby; but she'll be out of the way of managing a pairty." "There are plenty of pairties in the winter-time," said Janet. "I wouldna stand in other folk's gait. Na, naebody would say you were interfering, Miss Barbara. Wha has a better right in your ain nephew's house?- but me, it's another question. I couldna gang ben to her kitchen, or look at a single article, but it would be thought I was meddling. What would I think if Bauby Rolls came here on a veesit to help me? I would say I maun be getting doited, though I cannot see it: I maun be losing the use o' my faculties. I judge of her by mysel'. She would think the same of me. But Agnes, you can take her," said the housekeeper, with a fine and delicate contempt. "She has aye her head full of whigmaleeries; but she'll stand in nobody's way." "I'll not ask your leave, Janet, to take my own woman with me," said Miss Barbara, with some annoyance. "Na, mem, I never thought that," retorted her factotum. "I'm seldom consulted, though maybe it would be none the worse for the family if I were letten say my say. For a ball-supper there's naething better than a fine boned turkey well stuffed and larded," she added reflec tively; "and I'm no' against soup. It's proposed entertainment. "Will you send "That's very true, Janet," said Miss Barbara ; "I'm of that opinion myself. But in most houses it's the gentleman himself (when there is a gentleman) that manages the cellar; and it would never do for a lady to say anything. But I will mind to tell him (for it's my own opinion), if he consults me." "And for sweet things, there's nothing like ice-creams, if she can make them," said Janet. "If she were to say, mem, of her own accord, that she has little experience, you might send me a line by the postman, and I would do my best; but no' unless it's of her own accord. Na, na; I ken by mysel'. If a strange woman were to come into my kitchen and meddle with my denner! But tak' you Agnes, Miss Barbara. She might make up a match yet, for a' that's come and gane, with Tammas Rolls." Miss Barbara appeared accordingly at Dalrulzian the day before the great dinner, in her old coach, with her two best gowns in the imperial, and all her old ornaments, and with Agnes her maid seated primly by her, inside. The chariot was almost as old as Miss Barbara herself, and was kept for great occasions. It was drawn by two somewhat funereal black horses from the Red Lion at Dunearn altogether a solemn turn-out, and quite unlike the handy little phaeton in which usually the old lady drove about. The postboy took away those noble steeds when he had housed the chariot in the Dalrulzian stables, to which he was to return in four days to take it back with its mistress. And Miss Barbara bore a grave though cheerful countenance as she walked into the drawing-room, and took her place there on the great tapestry sofa. The box of plate and linen had arrived before her, and she felt that it was necessary at once to look into the details of the the solemnity of the occasion to call Bauby by any less weighty title. Bauby came in with good-natured alacrity; but she was somewhat abashed by the air of gravity on Miss Barbara's face, whom she was not accustomed to see in such state. "It's a great responsibility for you to have the charge of all this. You will like a little assistance with your dinner. I'm well aware that both that and the supper for the ball are in very good hands so far as the provisions go. But your master being young, and without experience, and as there's no lady in the house, I think it my duty to be of service," Miss Barbara said. Bauby stood before her greatly flushed, and laid a number of hems, one over the other, on her apron. Hoot, mem, we'll just manage fine," she said, growing red. But this did not satisfy the august old lady. "If you're in want of any help," she said, "there's a woman of mine Rolls, who had been waiting outside the door, came to the rescue. He appeared now behind the flushed Bauby. "She's a confused creature," he said, "but she knows her business. We've put it all down, Miss Barbara, in the new-fashioned way. I'm aware that at the Castle and other grand places it's written in French, but good Scots is good enough for us." It was no small effort to find and produce from Bauby's pocket the bill of fare of the approaching dinner. But this document took away Miss Barbara's breath. It was some time before she got over it. Instead of the chaos which she half feared, yet half hoped for, as a means of exercising her own gifts on her nephew's behalf, it was an elaborate menu, drawn out in full form, that was placed before her eyes. The old lady was struck dumb for a moment, and when she spoke there was a certain awe in her tone. "If you can set a dinner like that on the table," she said, "I have not a word to say." "Oh, mem, we'll manage fine," said Bauby, in her soft, round, good-humored voice. "Miss Barbara," said Rolls, "I'm no braggart; but I've seen a thing or two in my life. And Bauby, she has far more in her than appears. She's just a confused creature in speech; but pit her to her goblets and her sauces, and she kens well what she's about. She has the real spirit of it in her; and when her blood's up for | peremptorily; "whatever thought may be the credit of the family in your head, to name it spoils all." "Eh, mem!" cried Bauby herself, putting her apron to her eyes, for her tears came readily; "do you think I would let them say that Mr. John couldna give a denner as good as the best? and he such a fine lad, and wanting a wife, and his mammaw so far away! For these two simple women were still of opinion that Providence had created John Erskine's wife for him, and that he could not mistake the guidance of that unerring hand. CHAPTER XXII. Never you mind his mammaw,” cried THE ball was in full career; everybody Miss Barbara, with natural family feeling; had come to it from all the houses within "she was never a great manager. But if reach, and the radius was wide-extendyou set that dinner on the table, Bauby ing over the whole county. It was uniRolls, you're a woman worthy of all re-versally acknowledged that nobody could spect, and I hope my nephew will know when he's well off." She withdrew to the room prepared for her after this, a little crestfallen, yet doing due honor to the native powers. "We'll say nothing to Janet," she said to her faithful old maid, as she sat at her toilet. 66 Janet is an excellent woman, and just the right person for a house like nine. But she has not that invention. Four made dishes, besides all the solids! We'll not say a word to Janet. It would be more than she could bear." "You see, Miss Barbara, there's two of them to settle it," said Agnes, as she brushed out the old lady's abundant white hair; "and a man is awfu' discriminating about eating and drinking. He may not have sense like a woman, but he has more taste of his mouth." "There is something in that," said her mistress; "if it's Rolls, John has got a treasure in that man. The cornel's dinners were always very English, to my way of thinking but that would be their own fault; or if it's my nephew himself". she added doubtfully. What was a great quality in Rolls catering for other people, would have been almost a vice, in the eyes of this prejudiced old lady, in the young master of the house. "Mr. John!" said Agnes, still more moved, "a bonnie lad like him! Na, na; it would never be that. It'll be the young misses, and not the dishes, he will be thinking about. And who knows but we may see the one that's his choice? And I wish she may be a lovely young lady for his sake." "She would need to be something more than that," said Miss Barbara, shaking her head. "A little money would be a great advantage to the estate." "Eh, but mem, he maun marry for love," said Agnes; "what's siller in comparison? And I think I know somebody for my pairt 66 Whisht, Agnes," said her mistress have imagined the drawing-room at Dalrulzian to be so large-and though the mothers and the old ladies were in a great state of alarm as to the facilities for stepping forth through the long windows after a dance, yet the young people, indifferent to the northern chill which they had been used to all their lives, considered the walk, which seemed almost a portion of the room, to be the most delightful of all. Rintoul, though with many protestations and much scorn of the little rustic assembly, had been persuaded to wait for it, and was an object of attraction as great, nay, in some respects greater, than John himself. There were no great young ladies in the company for whom it was worth his while to exert himself, and consequently the young man yielded to the soft flattery of all the pleased and grateful faces around him, and made himself agreeable in general, ending, however, almost invariably at the side of Nora, to whom it was a pleasing compensation for the indifference of the young master of Dalrulzian, who had been so distinctly destined for her by the county. John was very civil to Nora. He went out of his way, indeed, to be civil. He took her about the house, into the library, and the hall, to show her the alterations he was making, and appealed to her about their propriety in a way which Nora felt might have taken in some girls. But she was not taken in. She knew it was merely politeness, and that John would go away as soon as he had done his duty with a certain sense of relief. But Rintoul's attentions were paid in a very different spirit. He asked her to dance as many times as he could without attracting too much notice. Nora felt that he discriminated this line finely, and was half provoked and half flattered by it, feeling acutely that whereas John Ersskine did his best to show her all the civility which his position required, Rintoul went against all the duties of his position to get near her, to talk to her in a |