A Family Affair

She made no objection, lt is a curious fact, that in splte of lus glorificatlon of tlio noble art of loafing, Mr. Carruthers was ahvays ready to go walking wlth Miss Claiison wherever and whenever she permitted it. But no man is consistent lor twenty-four hours at a stretch. After a great deal of reasoning, he caine to the conclusión that he had found the word to suit her. JJeatrice was morbid. Everyone knows that the best cur for morbidiiess is to awaken the patient's interest in lus or her fellow creatures - in oven one fellow creature will soinetimes da Bat ftlthongli Mr. Carruthers decided that lieatr'ce was morbid, he had still to account for the appearance of the disease in a mental constitution which ought to have been the last to have su.cumbed tolt. So one even ing, shortly after his arrival at Hazlewood House, 'rank asked his hosts, of course in tlie most casual disin, tetes ted way, many leading questions ■about Miss ■ Clauson - why she was not 'marrled, or at least engaged, and so forth. The Talberts returned their old answer that it was time she thought about it, but 'perhaps she took after themselves, and was not of the marrying dispositlon. ïhis Mr. Carruthers ventured to doubt. "She may havo been disappointed In love." he said, carelessly. All the same he refilled from the claret jug the glass from whlch ho had been drinking 1847 port. "My dear Frank," said Horace, with grae dignlty, "Miss Clauson would never permit snoli a Ibiiig to happen." "Certainly not," said Herbert. "Permlt what? I'ermit herself to fall ,in love?" ' .No; permlt herself to be disappointed in love. She is far too - too well bred for such a thing to loccur. When she makes her j cholee it will bo ono of whieh we all ap'prove, so disappointment is out of the '.question. "That's highly satisfactory," said ! Frank. "A well regulated young woman is the noblest work of - woll, of modern times." They were by now getting aocustomed to hiin, and although rather shocked at JBeatrice's belng called a young woman (lid not show it. 'Then her choice Is not yet made?" continiKid Frank. "Not toour knowledge, and, Imay add, not to Sir Maingay's." Mr. Carruthers aiked no more questlons. He strotled out inlo the garden and talked quletly to Miss Clauson, until the stars showed themselves ín the sky. Having ascertained that Miss Clauson was under the charge of no other amateur doctor. Mr. Carruthers could, of course, set about curing her disease without any fear of outraging professional etiquette. CIIAPTEit XII. A HOUSE! A HOBSSl It must not be supposed that no inention of any frieml.s or acquaintances of Miss Clauson's implies that she led aii isolated life at Halewood llouse. She had. Indeed, plenty of both. It could hardly be othcrwise, as the Talberts were very 'great on the subject of the interchange of social civilities, and kept a visiting book as earefully as any lady could have done. One of Miss Clauson's friends came several times across Frank Carruthers' path about this period. i This friend, or aequaintanee, was a íine, .hulking young fellow of about twenty, ,the helr to, and hope of, oue of the fami'.lies of positlon. A great good-natured, ibroad-shouldered boy, who would doubtlesalnayear or two develop into sonicthing that a mother might bo proud of, and a young lady feel happy to have for a suitor. Ho was an Oxford undergraduate, and for awhile had been one of Krank's puiiils. So when ho eame up to Hazlewood House one morning, of course to see the Talberts, ha was mach surprised at Onding the celcbrated üxforJ coach slttiug at his ease just llke an ordinary unlearned 1'hilistine. 11e hung aljout the place until Üeatrice appeared, and, after awhile. Frank hcard him ask her when he might cali and go rldlng wlth her. Although Mr. Carruthers, when Inqnlring Into Miss Clanson's likesand dislikes, had ascertained that she was fond of ridtng, Jie had not as yet seen her on horseback. I'erhaps the sharpost shaft in Ivove's qulver was keptto be shot the last. At present her horse was in the hands of the vetcrinary surgeon, so there was no chance of young l'urton's beinggratiñed. Ncvertlieless, the account of the auiinal's progresa toward recovery was good, and Miss Clauson hoped it would be returned to her very soon. Frank (,'arruthers, when ho met the young fellow, dressed in the most natty and approved equestrian costume, used to laugh and jest with hiih, and ask for the latest bulletins anent the convalescing steed. lh', knew that young Purton had once or twiie ridden iuto Ulacktown, to see what progress the invalid was making. Kor hls own amusement Frank would address humorous questions, clothed, for the benelit or distress of his pupil, in elegant Latln or (reek, until young Porton fled incontinently, or boldly asserted that he ought not to be tormented before his time. ()no mornlng, to hls inexpresslble dolight, he found the horse re-installed iu tlic LIazlewood stables, and, moreover, Miss Clauson willing to don her rlding ftear, and allow lier cavalier to take her for a twen ty-m lie ride. Miss Clauson 's appearance on horssback eed uot be described; butMr. Carruthers, after watching her supple, graeeful, but alas! vanlshlng figure, buried liis hands In hls pockets, and walked about the garden in r seemingly reflectlve mood. Then for nwhilc he went back to nis favorite holiday occupation of lying on the lawn and doing nolliing. llorace and Herbert by this time had linished thelr housekeeplng, or china dusting, or whatever kept tliem lndooru. They ]olned him, and laughed at his lozlness. De tilted back hls hat, and looked up at them sleepily. "I say, llorace, where can I buy a horse?" "A horse!" "Ves. 1 liad quite forgojten It, but my do tor insisted that as soon as I got better I si i mlit take horse exercise. " "1 didn't know you could rlde." "Ves, I can. Something, of courso, vcry quiet. Oh. yes, I can ride until I f all !)'. The worst is that henever I fall from anything, whether a horie or a ladder, 1 come on my head as certaln as a shuttlecock does." "Take one of the carrlage horses," said Herbert. "We can use the dog-cart," added llorace. "Not a bit of it You wouldn't look wcll in a dog-cart lts not a dignified conveyauce enough. No. I Will buy me a horse, and sell him when I leave you. I will not trust myself to a hlreling. The hirellng' - what is it the hlrellng does?" "Forsakes the flock," said Herbert "The sheep, " said Herbert correctlngly. "Yes, to be sure. I am nelthnr a sheep nor a flock, but fear the hirellng would treat me badly. So teil me where to go for a horse. " "It seetus great extravagance, Frank. " "Extravagance! What is extravagance'? Spending more than one can afford. I am rolling In money. 1 aindisgustingly rlch. I fear not to meet either my bootraaker or my banker. Besides, in justicetomy doctor, I must have prescriptions made up, no matter what they cosf' They saw he was in earnest, so they called their coadunan to asslst in the search for a steed. The coadunan, in hls stripedjinen waistcoat jolned the group and walted his masters' commands. "William," said llorace. "Mr. Carruthers is thinking of buying a horse. Do you know of anything for sale around here?" "Do 1 knowofahoss, sir, ''sald William, reflectlvely. "Something quiet, " put in Herbert, who was sollcitous for Frank's safety. "A hoss - something quiet-" repeated William. "To drive or rlde, slr?" he iisked, turning to Frank. "Toride." "A hoss - quiet- to rlde. There's Mr. Bulger's cob, sir. Hls man said he were for sale. " Krank dld not llke ttie sonnd of Mr. Bulger's cob. Herbert and Horacethought it was just the thlng. "Well up to your weight, sir, after Mr. Bulger, '' said William. "Such a shoulder, such quarters, sueh a barrel, he've got, he have!" 'Who- Mr. Bulger?" "Xo, sir- the tob. " "Ah yes- the cob. But there are barrels and barrels. I want one with an ordluary capaclty - I shouldn't care for the great ton of Heldelberg. " "Certa'nly not, sir," said William, touching bis forelock. "Cobs' backs are so broad," conttnued Frank musingly. "It seems contemptible to bestride them. The temptation tochalk one's face and ride standing would be irresistible. Would you tind it so, Horace?" "Well- no. I don't think I ghould," answered llurace with that pollte gravity whlch always amused hls cousin. "Mr. Bulger won't do, Wllliam," said Frank. "Try elsewhere. " William scratched his nose, and for a minute was in earnest thought "There's Captain Taylor's mare," he said, with a timid glance at hls masters. "She as ran away with the stanhope and smashed It But they say she goes quiet enough with a saddle on her back - leastwise lf a mail knows how to ride." "We won't depri ve Captain Taylor of his treasure, " said Frank. "Thlnk again. " "Will you ko to Barker's repository, sir?" asked William, who had come to the end of hts quine researches. "Wbere Is it?" "In Blacktown," -sald Herbert. "We will go with you.'' "No, thank you. 1 will make my own unbiased cholee. No one shall be blanied if I come to grief - except my doctor. Is Hark er an honest man?" "He is sujiposed to be so," said Horace. "Ile'sas honest as hoss-dealers Is made, " sald William. "Then l'll trust my neck In Barker's hands. l'll walk into Blacktown at once. " At the lod.üe gate he fouud Wllliain waltlng for him. "If 1 may make so bold, sir, you say to Mr. Barker that I sent you to him- William Giles, slr. Mr. Talbert's man. Barker ain't so bad as some, sir; and when he knows I shall have something to do with the hoss, maybe he won't try and beat you." "Thank you, Wllliam, for your dislnterested kindness," said Frank, gravely. "Don't mention it, slr, " taid William, with politeness perhaps caught from hls masters. "William lies. Mr. Talbert's may,- you'll renienib r, sir?" "Certalnly, William. Is there anything else l ought to say to Mr. Barker." "No, slr, not as I know of." "Shall I teil him you deserve flve or ten per cent. on the transaction'.'"' "Óh, Mr. Carruthers. you know the Inside of the ropes, you da lf you ride as well as you reckon up, you might 'a' bought Captain Taylor's mare. Don't Ihink Barker will take you in much, sir. " "Perhaps not; but I'd better make sure. Fetchmea nice clean straw, William." Wllliam obeyed without comment His respect for Mr. Carruthers had greatly increased. Frank took a straw, and breaking otf a piece with the empty ear attached, stuck it between his teeth. "Is that the right length, Williain'."' he asked. "Bit too long, sir; but you'll have chewed It down proper by the time you get to Barker's." "All right. '' Frank passed outthrouiih the gate, and left William opining that hu "was the rumniest gent as ever ca me t the house; one never knew lf he was in earnest or chafting-like. " Frank soon got r!d of the straw which he had mounted for Williams mystllication, and reaehed the repository without any signs of horsines about him. He had an interview with the t ght-legged proprletor, and for the next hour stuod watcliing horses white, horses b'ack, liorses piebaid, horses brown, bav and clie-tmit, trotted up and down the tancovered way. He lieard Mr. Barker euloglze each particular animal. He listened because he Uked to study character - human, not equlne - and was fascinaUid by a deslre to know what Barker would say when each fresh bcrew appeared on the scène. But his silence as to hls own opinión concerning the merlts or demerits of each animal, and the calm, contemplative way in which, smoking his cigarette the wlille, he watched the horses pass and repass, drove Mr. Barber alu.ost to disttractlon. fTO HE CONTINUED.