When they got tired of scandal Mrs. Burness mentioned that her son had just gone up to Oxford. "To Exeter, you know. Robert says it's an excellent college. We went up for the 'Torgids,' I think they call them--boatin' races, you know--and we had lunch in Bernard's rooms. _Such_ nice rooms, all panelled in oak, and only next door to the Hall, which must be _so_ convenient in wet weather, don't you think?" "Have they a high-barred window in the corner looking out into B. N. C. Lane?" said Sturtevant. "Yes! do you know them?" "I think so. I believe I used to know a man who had them years ago. He's dead now." "Oh, _how_ romantic! I must tell Bernard! Perhaps his ghost haunts them! _Do_ tell me his name." "A rather uncommon name--Yardly Gobion." Mrs. Burness grew pale. "I knew him when I was a girl," she said faintly. The man gripped a little ornamental knob on the arm of the chair. The people who were coming after the dinner were being announced. He heard Sir Lionel and Lady Picton's names shouted from the door. It was a curious evening. "Were you a Miss Lovering before you married?" he asked. "Yes." "Then you're Marjorie!" "Yes," she said with a little smile, "I was Marjorie." They were silent for a time, and their faces changed a little. "Rather a fool, wasn't he?" Sturtevant forced himself to say at last. "Oh, yes, we flirted a little, don't you know, but I always thought him rather poor fun." "Yes, he wasn't much. I remember when I was reading for the Bar I did him a service, for which he was not in the least grateful." "Yes, he was quite that sort of person." "But still," said Sturtevant, "he was a man possessed of considerable personal charm." FINIS. PLYMOUTH WILLIAM BRENDON AND SON PRINTERS * * * * * BOOKS TO BUY. GREENING & CO.'S NEW PUBLICATIONS. The Pottle Papers. Written by SAUL SMIFF, and Illustrated by L. RAVEN HILL. Third Edition. _Crown 8vo, art cloth, top edge gilt._ =Half-a-Crown.= Madonna Mia, and other Stories. By CLEMENT SCOTT. _Crown 8vo, cloth._ =Three Shillings and Sixpence.= A Social Upheaval. An Unconventional Satirical Novel. By ISIDORE G. ASCHER. _Crown 8vo, cloth extra._ =Six Shillings.= Seven Nights with Satan. A Novel. By J. L. OWEN, author of "The Great Jekyll Diamond." _Crown 8vo, cloth._ =Three Shillings and Sixpence.= A Modern Christmas Carol. A "Dickensy" Story. By SAUL SMIFF, author of "The Pottle Papers." _Medium 8vo. Cloth_, =One Shilling=; _Paper_, =Sixpence=. The Hypocrite. A Realistic Novel. By a New Author. _Crown 8vo, cloth._ =Half-a-Crown.= The Grand Panjandrum. Fairy Tales for Children. By S. J. ADAIR FITZ-GERALD. Full-page and other Illustrations by GUSTAVE DARRÉ. _Square 8vo, fancy cloth._ =Half-a-Crown.= The Lady of Criswold. A Sensational Story. By LEONARD OUTRAM. _Crown 8vo, cloth._ =Half-a-Crown.=