Sir Hampton rustled his paper very loudly, rolled his head in his cravat till it crackled again, and looked cross. Then he strode to the table, took his seat, and began methodically to open the letter-bag and sort the letters; and then, in the midst of the sopping process and the exclamations of her ladyship, a door was heard to open, steps pattered over the hall floor, there was a babble of pleasant voices, a scuffling as of hats and baskets being thrown on to a table, and then the breakfast-room door opened, and two young girls hurried into the room. "Nearly twenty minutes past nine, my dears," said Sir Hampton, consulting his watch. "Ah! so late, papa?" said one, hurrying up to kiss Lady Rea, and receive a hearty hug in return. "Oh, never mind," said the other, following her sister's suit, and vigorously returning the maternal hug. "We've had such a jolly walk. Oh, ma, how well you look this morning!" "Do I, my love? There, Edward--that will do. Now, the poached eggs and the turkey, quick!" "Yes, m' lady," said Edward. And he disappeared, as Sir Hampton was forgetting to be stiff for a few minutes, as he returned the salute of his eldest girl, Valentina. "I'm sorry we're late, papa; but we went farther than we meant." "But you know, Tiny," said Sir Hampton, "I like punctuality." And he glanced with pride at the graceful undulating form, in its pretty morning dress; and then gazed in the soft grey eyes, looking lovingly out of a sweet oval face, framed in rich brown hair. "Oh, bother punctuality, daddy!" said the younger girl, a merry, mischievous-looking blonde, with freckled face, bright eyes, and a charming petite form that was most attractive. "Don't be cross," she cried, getting behind his chair, throwing her arms round his neck, and laying a soft downy cheek upon his bald head. "Don't be cross; we've had such a jolly walk, and got a basketful of ferns. There! that'll make you good tempered." And she leaned over, dragging his head back, and kissed him half a dozen times on the forehead. "Fin! Finetta!" exclaimed Sir Hampton. "Now, suppose one of the servants saw you!" "Oh, they wouldn't mind, daddy," laughed the girl. "Oh, I say, how your head shines this morning!" And bubbling over, as it were, with fun, she breathed sharply twice on her astonished parent's crown, gave her hand a circular movement over it a few times, and, before he could recover from his surprise, she finished it off with a polish from her pocket-handkerchief, and then stepped back, looking mischievously at the irate knight, as he forced his chair back from the table and stared at her. "Is the girl mad?" he exclaimed. "Finetta, you make me exceedingly angry." "Not with me, daddy," said the girl placing herself on his knee. "Kiss me, and say good morning, sir." The head of the family hesitated for a moment, and then could not resist the upturned face, which he kissed and then pushed the girl away.