pocket-handkerchiefs on which she had embroidered his cipher and coronet with her own beautiful hair.  Towards evening Plantagenet began to experience the reaction of his artificial spirits.  The Doctor had fallen into a gentle slumber, Lady Annabel had quitted the room, Venetia sat with her hand in Plantagenet’s on a stool by the fireside.  Both were sad and silent.  At last Venetia said, ’O Plantagenet, I wish I were your real sister!  Perhaps, when I see you again, you will forget this,’ and she turned the jewel that was suspended round her neck, and showed him the inscription.

‘I am sure when I see you-again, Venetia,’ he replied, ’the only difference will be, that I shall love you more than ever.’

‘I hope so,’ said Venetia.

’I am sure of it.  Now remember what we are talking about.  When we meet again, we shall see which of us two will love each other the most.’

‘O Plantagenet, I hope they will be kind to you at Eton.’

‘I will make them.’

‘And, whenever you are the least unhappy, you will write to us?’

’I shall never be unhappy about anything but being away from you.  As for the rest, I will make people respect me; I know what I am.’

’Because if they do not behave well to you, mamma could ask Dr. Masham to go and see you, and they will attend to him; and I would ask him too.  I wonder,’ she continued after a moment’s pause, ’if you have everything you want.  I am quite sure the instant you are gone, we shall remember something you ought to have; and then I shall be quite brokenhearted.’

‘I have got everything.’

‘You said you wanted a large knife.’

’Yes! but I am going to buy one in London.  Dr. Masham says he will take me to a place where the finest knives in the world are to be bought.  It is a great thing to go to London with Dr. Masham.’

’I have never written your name in your Bible and Prayer-book.  I will do it this evening.’

’Lady Annabel is to write it in the Bible, and you are to write it in the Prayer-book.’

‘You are to write to us from London by Dr. Masham, if only a line.’

‘I shall not fail.’

‘Never mind about your handwriting; but mind you write.’

At this moment Lady Annabel’s step was heard, and Plantagenet said, ‘Give me a kiss, Venetia, for I do not mean to bid good-bye to-night.’

‘But you will not go to-morrow before we are up?’

‘Yes, we shall.’

‘Now, Plantagenet, I shall be up to bid you good-bye, mind that’

Lady Annabel entered, the Doctor woke, lights followed, the servant made up the fire, and the room looked cheerful again.  After tea, the names were duly written in the Bible and Prayer-book; the last arrangements were made, all the baggage was brought down into the hall, all ransacked their memory and fancy, to see if it were possible that anything that Plantagenet could require was either forgotten or had been omitted.  The clock struck ten; Lady Annabel rose.  The travellers were to part at an early hour:  she shook hands with Dr. Masham, but Cadurcis was to bid her farewell in her dressing-room, and then, with heavy hearts and glistening eyes, they all separated.  And thus ended the last day!