Nell of Shorne Mills

Mrs. Lorton echoed his exclamation, and her face flushed with all a

woman's delight as she gazed at the diamond bracelet reposing on its bed

of white plush.

"Really----My dear Mr. Vernon!" she gasped. "How--how truly magnificent!

But surely not for me--for me!"

He was beginning to get, if not uncomfortable, a little bored, with a

man's hatred of fuss.

"I'm afraid there's not much magnificence about it," he said, rather

shortly. "I hope you like the pattern, style, or whatever you call it. I

had to risk it, not being there to choose. And there's a gun in that

case, Dick."

Dick made an indecent grab for the larger parcel, and, tearing off the

wrapper, opened the thick leather case and took out a costly gun.

"And a Greener!" he exclaimed. "A Greener! I say, you know, sir----"

He laughed excitedly, his face flushed with delight, as he carried the

gun to the window.

"Is it not perfect, simply perfect, Eleanor?" said Mrs. Lorton, holding

out her arm with the bracelet on her wrist. "Really, I don't think you

could have chosen a handsomer one, Mr. Vernon, if you had gone to London

to do so."

"I am glad you are pleased with it," he said simply.

"Pleased? It is perfect! Eleanor, haven't you a word to say? No; I

imagine you are too overwhelmed for words," said Mrs. Lorton, with a

kind of cackle.

"It is very beautiful, mamma," she said gravely; and her face, as she

leaned over the thing, was grave also.

Drake looked at her as he rose, and understood the look and the tone of

her voice, and was glad that he had resisted the almost irresistible

temptation to order a somewhat similar present for her.

"I say, sir, you must get your gun down, and we must go for some

rabbits," said Dick eagerly. "And I can get a day or two's shooting over

the Maltby land as soon as the season opens. I'm sure they'd give it

me."

"That's tempting, Dick," said Drake; "and it adds another cause to my

regret that I am leaving to-morrow."

"Leaving to-morrow!" exclaimed Mrs. Lorton, with a gasp. "Surely not!

You are not thinking, dreaming of going, my dear Mr. Vernon?"

"It's very good of you," he said, picking up his cap and nearing the

door. "But I couldn't stay forever, you know. I've trespassed on your

hospitality too much already."