“Will you be with a large party, Rupert?” Lillian asked, her color deepening and a rather anxious expression in her eyes. Lillian Linton had learned to love Rupert Hamilton with a strong and passionate affection, and this attachment had been most unwisely fostered by her mother, who was still determined that her idolized daughter should marry her brother’s wealthy young ward, and the heir to still greater prosperity and honor, if it was possible to accomplish it. “I do not know how large the party will be, Lillian; probably there will be quite a number in it,” he answered. “All gentlemen?” “Oh, no, I judge not from some hints that are given regarding the equipments necessary for the journey; for articles which only ladies require are mentioned in them.” Lillian lost some of her brilliant color, and her eyes drooped at this reply. “But do you like the idea of mingling so freely with strange people?” she asked, with a slight curl of her red lips. “Americans too,” she added, slightingly. “Why, Lillian, are you so prejudiced against our neighbors over the sea?” exclaimed the young man, in surprise. The girl shrugged her graceful shoulders and arched her pretty brows, but deigned no reply. The act, however, expressed far better than words could have done her contempt for the people of whom they had been speaking. Percy glanced up at her with a roguish twinkle in his eyes. “Rupert will doubtless meet some fair damsel among his party whose bright eyes and charming smiles will prove too much for his susceptible nature, and, before we know it, our loyal Englishman will have forsworn his colors and joined the great republic,” he said, to tantalize his sister. “Oh, Percy, how little faith you have in me,” laughed Rupert. “Of course I expect there will be some fair damsels in my party, but doubtless they will be so closely guarded by jealous parents and vigilant chaperons that no young man of my age will have an opportunity to play the agreeable to them.” Neither of the young men observed the spasm of pain that contracted Sir William’s brow at these remarks, nor the hardening of Lady Linton’s face, as they thought of that episode in the life of the former, some eighteen years previous, while he was traveling in America. “I trust that Rupert will not be beguiled into any discretions, no matter how attractive the ladies of his party may be; he owes it to his self-respect to choose his wife from his own countrywomen,” remarked her ladyship, with a swift glance at her daughter, whose eyes were fixed upon her plate, as if she had no interest in anything but the morsel that she was diligently reducing to mince-meat with her knife. “Are the ladies of America more artful in that respect than those of any other nationality, Lady Linton?” asked the young man, innocently, but with a quizzical smile.