Byron was represented,--also Keats; but it would have taken more than a day to examine the various suggestive quaintnesses and individual charms of this 'workshop' as its owner called it, though the hour was to come when I should know every corner of it by heart, and look upon it as a haunted outlaw of bygone ages looked upon 'sanctuary.' But now time gave us little pause,--and when we had sufficiently expressed our pleasure and gratitude for the kindness with which we had been received, Lucio, glancing at his watch, suggested departure. "We could stay on here for an indefinite period Miss Clare,"--he said with an unwonted softness in his dark eyes; "It is a place for peace and happy meditation,--a restful corner for a tired soul." He checked a slight sigh,--then went on--"But trains wait for no man, and we are returning to town to-night." "Then I will not detain you any longer," said our young hostess, leading the way at once by a side-door, through a passage filled with flowering plants, into the drawing-room where she had first entertained us--"I hope, Mr Tempest," she added, smiling at me,--"that now we have met, you will no longer desire to qualify as one of my pigeons! It is scarcely worth while!" "Miss Clare," I said, now speaking with unaffected sincerity--"I assure you, on my honour, I am very sorry I wrote that article against you. If I had only known you as you are--" "Oh, that should make no difference to a critic!" she answered merrily. "It would have made a great difference to me"--I declared; "You are so unlike the objectionable 'literary woman,'--" I paused, and she regarded me smilingly with her bright clear candid eyes,--then I added--"I must tell you that Sibyl,--Lady Sibyl Elton--is one of your most ardent admirers." "I am very pleased to hear that,"--she said simply--"I am always glad when I succeed in winning somebody's approval and liking." "Does not everyone approve and admire you?" asked Lucio. "Oh no! By no means! The 'Saturday' says I only win the applause of shop-girls!" and she laughed--"Poor old 'Saturday'!--the writers on its staff are so jealous of any successful author. I told the Prince of Wales what it said the other day, and he was very much amused." "You know the Prince?" I asked, in a little surprise. "Well, it would be more correct to say that he knows me," she replied--"He has been very amiable in taking some little interest in my books. He knows a good deal about literature too,--much more than people give him credit for. He has been here more than once,--and has seen me feed my reviewers--the pigeons, you know! He rather enjoyed the fun I think!"