"Well, pa, dear, what is it?" said Lady Rea, out of her tea-cup. "Er-rum, I have at last," said Sir Hampton, pompously, "received public recognition of my position. My dears, I have been placed upon the bench, and am now one of the county magistracy." He looked round for the applause which should follow. "Well, my dear, I'm sure I'm very glad if it pleases you," said Lady Rea. "Matty, give me another poached egg." "It was quite time they did, Hampton," said Miss Matilda. "I congratulate you, papa, dear," said Valentina, going up to him and kissing him; "and I'm sure the poor will be glad to have so kind a magistrate to deal with them." "Thank you, Tiny--thank you," said Sir Hampton, smiling, and trying to look every inch a magistrate, before turning to his second daughter, who was intent upon a turkey drumstick. "But I say, pa, what fun it will be!" she said at last; "you'll have to sit on the poachers." "Yes, the scoundrels!" said Sir Hampton, and his cravat crackled. "And send all the poor old women to quod for picking sticks." "To where?" exclaimed Miss Matilda, in horrified tones. "Quod," said Finetta, quite unmoved; "it's Latin, I think, for prison, or else it's stable slang--I'm not sure. But oh, my," she continued, seeing her father's frown, "we've got some news, too." "Have you, dear?" said mamma, "what is it?" "We saw Humphrey Lloyd this morning." "Who is Humphrey Lloyd?" said Lady Rea. "The keeper at Penreife." "Penreife," said Sir Hampton, waking up out of a day-dream of judicial honours. "Yes, a beautiful estate. I would have bought it instead of this if it had been for sale." "Well," said Finetta, "we met Humphrey, and talked to him." "I think, if I may be allowed to say so, Finetta, that you are too fond of talking to grooms and keepers, and people of that class," said Miss Matilda, glancing at her brother, who, however, was once more immersed in judicial dreams--J.P., _custos rotulorum_, commission of the peace, etcetera. "Tennyson used to hang with grooms and porters on bridges, and he's poet laureate; so why shouldn't I?" said Finetta, rebelliously. "I don't think it's nice, though," said mamma. "Aunt Matty is quite right; you are not a child now, my dear." "Oh, mamma, dear, it's only Fin's nonsense," said Tiny. "Humphrey is a very respectful, worthy young fellow, and he climbed up the big rocks down by Penreife for us, and got us some of those beautiful little aspleniums we couldn't reach." "Yes, ma, dear," said Finetta; "and he says that the next time he writes to his old aunt in Wales, he'll tell her to send some of the beautiful little rare ferns that grow up on one of the mountains, in a place that nearly broke my teeth when I tried to say it." Lady Rea shook her head at her daughter, who rattled on. "Well, you know about Penreife belonging to Lieutenant Trevor?" Lady Rea nodded.