"You don't mean to say you've got none. Look here, I've kept all these on purpose for you, although twenty girls have begged me to dispose of them in their favour." "Oh, Luke, how can you tell such fibs?" said his sister. "Well;--here they are," and he showed his card. "I'm not engaged to anybody," said Rachel; "except for one quadrille to Mr. Cornbury,--that gentleman who just went away." "Then you've no excuse for not filling up my vacancies,--kept on purpose for you, mind." And immediately her name was put down for she knew not what dances. Then he took her card and scrawled his own name on it in various places. She knew that she was weak to let him thus have his way in everything; but he was strong and she could not hinder him. She was soon left with Mary Rowan, as Luke went off to fulfil the first of his numerous engagements. "Do you like my brother?" said she. "But of course I don't mean you to answer that question. We all think him so very clever." "I'm sure he is very clever." "A great deal too clever to be a brewer. But you mustn't say that I said so. I wanted him to go into the army." "I shouldn't at all like that for my brother--if I had one." "And what would you like?" "Oh, I don't know. I never had a brother;--perhaps to be a clergyman." "Yes; that would be very nice; but Luke would never be a clergyman. He was going to be an attorney, but he didn't like that at all. He says there's a great deal of poetry in brewing beer, but of course he's only quizzing us. Oh, here's my partner. I do so hope I shall see you very often while I'm at Baslehurst." Then Rachel was alone, but Mrs. Tappitt came up to her in a minute. "My dear," said she, "Mr. Griggs desires the honour of your hand for a quadrille." And thus Rachel found herself standing up with the odious Mr. Griggs. "I do so pity you," said Cherry, coming behind her for a moment. "Remember, you need not do it more than once. I don't mean to do it again."