"Then you are one of the idle people, Mr. Maitland? I don't think I like idle people." "How singularly unselfish of you, my dear Agnes!" put in Joan vigorously--more vigorously than politely. Maitland's last reflection as he got into bed was that he was quite out of place here. These might be very nice people in their way, but not in his way. He must make his visit as short as possible, and forget all about it as quickly as he could. The girls would be insufferable when they came to know him familiarly. Good gracious! fancy young ladies who had never heard of "John Inglesant," or of W. D. Howells' books, and confused the Grosvenor Gallery with the Water Color Exhibition! and read Longfellow! and had but vague ideas of the æsthetic! Miss Joan was pretty too, yes, really pretty, and had fine eyes and a pleasant voice, and fine eyes--yes, fine eyes. And with this thought he fell comfortably asleep. He came down next morning to find her alone in the breakfast room. A short-skirted beagling costume of scarlet and blue allowed him a glimpse of neat ankles in scarlet hose. She was kneeling before the fire playing with Roy. Her brown wavy hair fell in a heavy loose loop upon her neck, and there was something wonderfully bright and fresh in her whole appearance. "How quickly you have fallen in with our barbarous ways!" she said with a smile, as she rose. "I did not expect you to be up for hours yet." "I generally breakfast at nine, and it is nearly that now," he answered, annoyed by some hint of raillery in her tone, and yet unable to conceal a glance of admiration. "I think I must adopt the Blore breakfast hour; it seems, Miss Joan, to agree with you all so well." "Yes," was the indifferent reply; "we get the first of the three rewards for early rising. The other two we leave for our betters." And she turned away with a little nod as the others came in. In five minutes a noisy, cheerful breakfast was in progress, and the chances of finding a hare formed the all-engrossing subject of conversation. On this calm gray morning, warm rather than cold, the little pack, to the great delight of the household, found quickly, and found well. No October leveret was before them, but a good, stout old hare, who gave them a ringing run of two hours, the pleasure of which was not materially diminished when she baffled them at last in the mysterious way these old hares affect and huntsmen fail to fathom. The visitor performed creditably, though in indifferent training. At Oxford he had been something of a crack, and could still upon occasion forget to keep his boots clean and his clothes intact.