“How can Mrs. Bryce say such things? He will never, never forget!” murmured Molly, her lips unconsciously moving with the energy of her own thoughts. “Molly, this is sure scarce a place for audible meditation,” a voice said at her side. “Jack!” Molly’s whole face grew bright. Now she had all, or nearly all, that she wanted. She was extremely fond of Jack, and Jack of her. They were exactly like brother and sister, so Molly, not Jack, often stated. He was quite next to Roy in her estimation. Roy held inviolate the first place in his twin-sister’s affections; but Jack came closely after. “Were you spouting Mr. Scott’s last new poem, Molly?” demanded Jack, as he deposited himself in an empty chair by her side. “You love to plague me, Jack! Why should I be spouting aught?” Jack gave her a quizzical look. “’Tis dull work for a young maiden to be seated here. What may Mrs. Bryce be after, not to find you partners?” “Jack, be cautious, she is near. See!”—with a motion of her fan. “And I am not dull. I am never dull. I have danced two whole dances, Jack.” “And three with me to come. You do not forget.” “Two,” corrected Molly. “And they will be the best of all”—with childish frankness. “But my grandmother desired me to dance no more than two with any one man. And what news of Sir John?” Molly had a quick womanly instinct, which not all women possess, as to what people would like to speak about, and she generally managed to hit the mark, whence her quiet popularity in the little circle of those who knew her well. “I went to Cobham but a week since, and saw his mother. She fears Sir John is sorely worried by these Sicilian complications. The Queen of Sicily must be a strange personage. She detests the English, and gives all her confidence to Frenchmen—so says Sir John—yet our government fights in defence of the King, her husband, and pays him too a subsidy.” “And ’tis but a year since Sir John was all on the alert to be sent to India.” “Ay; so he told me, and his mother speaks of it still. She says that Sir John deems India to be by far the most important colony our nation has ever had. He thought then that he might well be spared for a while from Europe, matters being somewhat at a standstill. Since Trafalgar there can be no further dread of an invasion, and little was doing or is doing on the Continent, to check the Emperor’s advance. For my part, I doubt not that Sir John would prefer above all to be at the head of affairs in India. I have heard him say that that was the greatest and most important command which could fall to a British officer. But Mr. Fox refused to spare him, saying that England could not do without him in Europe.” Jack had always plenty to say, when once he got upon the subject of his Hero. (_To be continued._) FOOTNOTES: [1] Actually said early in the century. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. STUDY AND STUDIO.