' Won't you eat your suppor ? Ib will help you : and your milk is already iced.' ' I will try after a while, when I have lested a little. My child, you are very good to anticipate my wants. 1 noticed all you have done for me, and the flowers are lovely, so deliciously swset too.' He opened bis eyes, took the Grand Duke, smelled it, smiled and stroked her hand which rested on the arm of his chair. k Scarlet plumes and dishes of cirrus cloud i thab glowed like sacrificial fires upon the i altar of the west, paled, flickered, died oub I in ashen grey ; and a moon more gold tban |i silver hung in shimmering splendour among m tb,e cloud ships, lending a dazzling fringe

to their edges, and making quaint arabesque patberns of gilt embroidery on the verandah floor, where the soft light fell through interlacing vinea of woodbine and honeysuckle. With the night came silence, broken only by bhe subdued plaint of the pigeons in the neigh bouring yard, and tho cooing of a pair of peb ring-doves that slepb in bhe honey suckle, and were k9pt awake by the moon shine which invaded their nests, and tempted them to gossip. After awhile a whippowill which haunted th 3 churchyard elms drew gradually nearer, finally settling upon a deodar cedar in the flower garden, whence ib poured forth its lonely miserere wail.
