Brooks would be with them; "for," observed

she to Alice, "Arthur is at all events to stay at home; he says, some one must dine with my uncle, which is true, though I have no doubt that Mr. Fielding would be most happy. Now he (Arthur) would be the very person to make me feel quite at ease, by keeping the boys from getting into mischief; for they would mind him more than William Sandford, and Richard Brooks is little older than themselves! But-I do not know why he seems not to wish

to go.

I did not like to press him; only I must tell him, that if he stays here, I cannot possibly take Charly, much as I should like to have the little fellow of the party; for

what between the water, and the bows and arrows, I would not for the world have the responsibility of that child without his father. It is not as if you and I and Miss Bennet could be everywhere; and boys, however little, will follow where the bigger ones lead."

From this discourse of her cousin's, Miss Wentworth learnt one thing concerning the proposed excursion, which in a measure lessened her dislike to taking part in itArthur Darrell's determination to stay at home. She trusted he would keep to it; and in that confidence, listened with serenity. to the expression of the hopes and fears in which Mrs. Thornton fluctuated for about a week.

During this time, Alice encountered

Horace Ferrers more than once:

first at

Darrell Place, a day when she happened to be calling there, and twice out riding. He both times accompanied her to her gate; but on the first occasion, she got rid of him by letting him know that she was going immediately to dress for a dinner-party in the neighbourhood; and on the last she excused herself from entertaining him, by pleading an engagement at the village school, resolving if he followed her there (which he had just discretion enough not to do), to invite herself to drink tea with the clergyman's wife; for she had seen so much of him as to know, that if he once sat down in her drawing-room, it would

be a hard matter to be rid of him before

night.

In due time she received a note from Mrs. Thornton, fixing the long-talked-of pic-nic for the following Monday, the young Thorntons having obtained their three days' holiday, and Mr. Sandford and Mr. Brooks being available as their guardians on the occasion. Mrs. Thornton added that she hoped Alice would dine at Darrell Place on the previous Saturday, both to see Edward and Henry, who had spent their whole summer holidays at their grandfather's, and to talk over with her the arrangements for Monday.

She

accepted; and on arriving, found her cousin Mary beaming with delight at the pre

sence of her sons, boys of twelve and four

teen, of average good looks and behaviour. Arthur Darrell seemed graver even than usual; so silent and abstracted indeed was he, that Alice was not greatly surprized to hear one of the boys say to the other:

"Cousin Arthur is quite cross. There is no use talking to him about it."

She sat at dinner between him and her uncle, the two young men Sandford and Brooks being opposite, and general conversation was carried on pretty cheerfully till dessert, when, in honour of the schoolboysfor it was not the habit of the house-all the children appeared. Mrs. Thornton made Edward and Henry sit on each side of her, Cecilia and Mary were established at the