"Oh, James, my letter! Papa was to have posted it in town. Run and give it to him." "Allow me," said the stranger, raising his trencher to Mrs. Talbot, and taking the letter from her hand. She looked at him, and was struck with the fine character of the attractive countenance—the open candour of the large grey eyes. "That's Paradyne," whispered James, watching him as he caught Mr. Talbot. "_That_ Paradyne! Then I am sure—" But he had accomplished his mission, and was coming back again, laughing at the haste he had made. "Mr. Talbot bade me say he did not know there was any letter to take," he observed to Mrs. Talbot. "No, I forgot to tell him. Thank you very much." He lifted his cap to her again as he walked away, and she went in with the earl. "James," said Mrs. Talbot to her son, "you tell me that the school has a prejudice against that boy?" "Indeed it has. Something more than a prejudice. We are all against him." "And you motive—your reason, I should say?" "I really don't know. The prejudice is there, and we all share in it, and that's all." "Oh, James! is it right?" "Perhaps not. I have thought it not quite the thing all along; but one must go with the stream. They are very poor, those Paradynes. Don't look angry, mamma; I am not speaking it as a reproach." "I hope not. I think a son of mine would scarcely do so. They cannot well be poorer than we are." "Yes, they are, a great deal. It is our education that keeps papa poor—mine especially. I shall try to repay you for it some day, mother mine. A vision comes over me now and again of gaining the Orville. I should get to college then and all would be easy." "You vain boy. The Orville will be for some one of your seniors, sir." Talbot laughed. "Yes, I fear it is but a vision of dreamland. But oh, mother,"—and his tone changed to solemn earnest,—"what a boon it would be!" "Tell me why you dislike George Paradyne," resumed Mrs. Talbot, breaking the slight pause. "I don't dislike, him. I like him in spite of all. One can't help admiring him for his spirit; he throws off all our shafts so bravely. He is one of the most generous, open fellows possible. I see you don't understand, and I don't understand it myself. Few of us do. There's an awful feeling about his going in for the Orville." Mrs. Talbot gave it up as a bad job, and opened the book for the ten minutes' reading to the children, never omitted in the house. The Talbots had made some acquaintance in the place, and Mrs. Talbot questioned Mrs. Gall and one or two more, what the dislike of George Paradyne arose from. She felt more interested on the subject than she could account for. But none were able to answer her. Mrs. Gall had herself put the same query to her son, and nothing satisfactory came of it. As the term went on, the uncomfortable feeling in the school grew, greater and greater. But there was little time for anything but study, for the Oxford examination was approaching fast.