antique statues warmed into life-should have suggested this to his mind.

But he was too much fascinated to analyse her. She had much the same power over him that a snake has over a bird; the poor thing cannot take its eyes from the splendid curling ornament in the grass, and holds its breath till its heart stays its action, and it flutters within reach as it falls. His attention was always wrapped up in her.

At first he tried to be magnanimously indifferent to the people who would crowd about her. Then he thought he would be proud of her attractive power, and rejoice in her triumph. Neither of these moods lasted more than six hours at a time. Finally, he gently hinted that a certain amount of moderation was desirable.

Nora smiled first, then yawned, and ultimately got in a temper, and said hard things to him. She could not understand life without admiration from every one she met. Heaven only knew what put this last whim in her head; but there it was, and Percival could not move it. At last she turned round on him in her usual way, and

accused him of selfishness and cruelty to her; while at the same time he thought it was selfish and cruel of her.

The fact was, that although he felt it strongly, he had a very weak case. What earthly reason, save and except the sophistries of suspicious love, had he to urge against her visiting her aunt at St. Leonards? Every one went to the seaside in the autumn-why shouldn't she? The plan was perfectly irreproachable in the eyes of the world. It was no hotel and free continental table d'hôte business; but a regular British formal aunt and fashionable mansion. As she said her aunt was particularly particular, it was exceedingly unkind of him; and she did not believe he loved her much, or else he would trust her more.

After that he could say no more. But he did not like it. Outwardly it was all fair enough, but he had his suspicions. Wherever the sea was, there a yacht could come for one thing; and there were certain parties cruising about in a yacht at that time that he did not approve of. But that was not all. Here he could see her every day; he

could call whenever he chose. He knew everything she did; it was impossible for her to go, or do, or hardly say a thing but he must hear of it, or have a hand in it. He had exercised this power so long that he had grown to insensibly consider it his right.

Her removal to St. Leonards would break up these pleasant old habits; and, to tell the truth, he had a half-suspicion that she wished to be free of this constant supervision. This upset his self-love terribly. It was the most dreadful crime she could commit in his eyes. Not that Percival was more than usually conceited. But let any one put themselves in his place. This magnificent creature, whom he adored, always with him-all her tastes, habits, almost her ideas under his control, in a great measure; and she seemingly, at least for a long period, delighted with her overseer, and now suddenly she turns restless, and betrays an evident desire to throw off the bridle. A man who knew himself better than Percival did, and with the very broadest view of others' feelings, might have felt a little ruffled. As for Percival, his half-tamed part, underneath

the thin surface of civilization, was working and seething up in a dangerous manner.

she

Ask a hawk how he would enjoy seeing the stricken partridge glide away from under his very talons. And Nora asked him to actually congratulate her on the change. It would do her health good. Do her health good-look at her! Much health needed, truly. He was disgusted, and said so plainly said that she was deceiving him, and very nearly called her a liar. He would never have spoken like that to another lady, but their relations were peculiar. Nora's last resource was a violent fit of temper-she raked up all the disagreeable things he had said and done for a half-year; and called him jealous, distrustful, unkind, rude (which he certainly was), and everything she could think of. Some of the points went home. The moment she began like this, Percival held his tongue and sulked. She overwhelmed him with reproaches and bitter cuts. Percival sulked the more. All this confirmed him in his original suspicion that she wished to be free from his watchfulness. At last he got up,

and said in the sulkiest tone he possibly could

"The truth is, you know, you want to get rid of me."

Yes, that I do," said Nora, vehemently; and the next moment regretted it.

He was gone without a word, and she was too proud to follow out of the room, though she might easily have reached him before he could get his horse saddled. In a few minutes she saw him riding across the park, and he did not once look back. Till he disappeared round the last clump of bushes she was half certain that he would turn and come back, as he had done so many times before; but he did not, and that offended her vanity still more. Her heart swelled for a little while, and nearly forced tears into her eyes; but she tossed her head, rang the bell, and ordered the carriage. She would go and visit her pensioners, and do a little "charity." This was just her absurdly inconsistent way. Feeling like a tiger ready to tear any one's eyes out, she went to visit old women and give them a small bottle of port and tracts.