"There's the great box I brought from India, and a hair-trunk, and my school-box. It is all in the van." "Allow me to take you out of this crowd, and it shall be seen to," said Lionel, bending to offer his arm. She took it, and turned with him; but stopped ere more than a step or two had been taken. "We are going wrong. The luggage is up that way." "I am taking you to the carriage. The luggage will be all right." He was placing her in it, when she suddenly drew back and surveyed it. "What a pretty carriage!" she exclaimed. Many said the same of the Verner's Pride equipages. The colour of the panels was of that rich shade of blue called ultra-marine, with white linings and hammer-cloths, while a good deal of silver shone on the harness of the horses. The servants' livery was white and silver, their small-clothes blue. Lionel handed her in. "Have we far to go?" she asked. "Not five minutes' drive." He closed the door, gave the footman directions about the luggage, took his own seat by the coachman, and the carriage started. Lady Verner came to the door of the Court to receive Miss Tempest. In the old Indian days of Lady Verner, she and Sir Lionel had been close and intimate friends of Colonel and Mrs. Tempest. Subsequently Mrs. Tempest had died, and their only daughter had been sent to a clergyman's family in England for her education--a very superior place, where six pupils only were taken. But she was of an age to leave it now, and Colonel Tempest, who contemplated soon being home, had craved of Lady Verner to receive her in the interim. "Lionel," said his mother to him, "you must stop here for the rest of the day, and help to entertain her." "Why, what can I do towards it?" responded Lionel. "You can do something. You can talk. They have got Decima into her room, and I must be up and down with her. I don't like leaving Lucy alone the first day she is in the house; she will take a prejudice against it. One blessed thing, she seams quite simple--not exacting." "Anything but exacting, I should say," replied Lionel. "I will stay for an hour or two, if you like, mother, but I must be home to dinner."