Cora brought us each a flask of brandy, then a little packet of sandwiches cut by her own pretty hands in the housekeeper’s pantry. These she stuffed into our pockets, and away we went to the keeper’s lodge, I, for cogent reasons of my own, most unwillingly, though Lady Louisa smilingly kissed her hand twice to me from the drawing-room window; but as Cora and all the ladies did so at the same time, and waved their handkerchiefs, I could gather but little from that mark of her attention. Pitblado’s cottage was more than a mile distant. The snow was thawing fast, in the sunshine; but we were accoutred in stout leather leggings, and thick, warm shooting coats and caps. My uncle’s manner was fidgety, as we walked onward. He had evidently something on his mind, which he could not express in words, and I could give him no aid. After a pause— "Newton, lad," said he, "I don’t think that you take to your gun very willingly to-day." "What leads you to think so, uncle?" "You continued to look back at the house, as long as even the vanes of it were in view, as if the game there had more attractions than the birds out of doors." "I merely looked back to bow to Lady Loftus and the others," said I, laughing. "There it is! Why do you put Lady Loftus first?" "Perhaps because her figure was tallest—I don’t know—perhaps I should have named Cora, as the Lady of Calderwood," said I laughing, to hide my growing confusion. "Newton Norcliff, you have a tenderness for Lady Chillingham’s daughter," said Sir Nigel, gravely. "Have I? Don’t know that I have, sir," I repeated, actually flushing. "Of course you have, and you know it," said he, emphatically. "But who told you of this?" "Cora." "Cora?" "Yes, with tears in her eyes, this morning." "Tears! This is incomprehensible. I have only been a single night under the same roof with Lady Loftus." "Yet Cora has discovered your secret. Girls are quick-sighted in such matters, I can tell you." "But why had Cora tears?" "Don’t for the life of me know, unless it be that she fears your love will be but moonshine in the water. They are a cold, calculating, and ambitious family, Lord Chillingham’s, and will fly their hawk at higher game than mere landed gentry." "She is a good girl, Cora," said I, thoughtfully "If you have any fancy for Louisa Loftus, I will back you to any amount," said my blunt uncle, stoutly; "but I don’t think my lady mother would relish such a suitor as a lieutenant of cavalry. I have already heard her hint that Lord Slubber has made proposals, with offers of a brilliant settlement; but the man is older than I, and could no more hunt a country or march up a snow-covered brae, as we do now, than fly through the air. At all events, don’t throw your heart away farther than is necessary, and what is more, in the meantime, look sharp, I say." "Sharp!" I exclaimed, bewildered by this odd jumble of advice. "How—why?" "Don’t you perceive what is going on?" "What, uncle?"