Nell of Shorne Mills

"I am not at all tired, Lord Wolfer," said Nell. "I am not used to

traveling--this is the first long journey I have made--but I am

accustomed to riding"--she winced inwardly as she thought of the rides

with Drake--"and--and--sailing and yachting."

The earl nodded.

"Put the--the cutlets, or whatever they are, on the table, and you may

go," he said to the butler; and when the servants had left the room he

said to Nell: "I seldom lunch at home, and I like to do so alone."

Nell smiled. Grave as he looked, she did not feel at all afraid of him.

"I did not mean that," he said, with an answering smile. "I meant

without the servants. And so you have come to our assistance, Miss

Lorton?"

"I don't know whether that is the way to put it," said Nell, with her

usual frankness. "I'm afraid that I shall be of very little use; but I

am going to try."

His lordship nodded.

"And I think you will succeed--let me hand you a cutlet. Our great

trouble has been--may I trouble you for the salt? Perhaps you would

prefer to have the servants in the room?"

"No, oh, no!" replied Nell, quickly, as, reaching to her fullest extent,

she pushed the salt. "It is much nicer without them--I mean that I am

not used to so many servants."

He inclined his head.

"As you please," he said courteously. "Our great trouble has been that

my wife's public duties have prevented her from taking any share in

domestic matters. She is--er--I presume she is not coming in to lunch?"

he asked, with a quick glance at Nell, and an instant return to his

plate.

"N-o; I think not," replied Nell. "Lady Wolfer has gone to a

meeting--I'm sorry to say I forget what it is. Some--some Sisters--no, I

can't remember. It is very stupid of me," she wound up penitently.

"It is of no consequence. Lady Wolfer is greatly in request; there is no

movement of the advanced kind with which she is not connected," said his

lordship; and though he spoke in a tone of pride, he wound up with a

stifled sigh which reminded Nell of the sigh which she had heard Lady

Wolfer breathe. "She is--er--an admirable speaker," he continued, "quite

admirable. Did she go alone?"

The question came so suddenly, so unexpectedly, and apparently so

irrelevantly, that Nell was almost startled.