Sir Percival winked wickedly at Brooking to draw the latter's attention to his next remark.

"Have you thought over my proposal, Mr. d.y.k.e?"

"I have given it much deliberation," answered that worthy, in a tone that but ill concealed the delight occasioned him by the mere suggestion of such an idea.

"Well, Mr. d.y.k.e?"

"I feel most favorably inclined, I must confess," replied the old gentleman.

"Ah!" said Sir Percival, in an undertone to Lord Brooking, "d' ye hear that, lad? He must confess."

"I wish you had to, Percy. It would save me trouble."

"Then it is decided?" said Sir Percival, looking triumphantly at his friend.

d.y.k.e hesitated.

"No," he said, "not exactly decided. It now rests with my daughter. If she agrees with me, I will be pleased to do as you have suggested."

"Then Bessie shall say 'Yes,'" responded the baronet.

Chancing to look out the window at this moment, Sir Percival caught a glimpse of a familiar figure pa.s.sing on a path running near the schoolhouse.

"What, what?" he laughed. "There goes young Farrell. Who is the petticoat in tow?"

"That is his sister Winnie," replied Mr. d.y.k.e, peering through his gla.s.ses. "A nice girl, Sir Percival, with a proper admiration for literature."

"Too dumpy, by far," responded that gentleman, surveying the lady with anything but approval. "By the way, I 've something to say to Terence.

Brooking, while I run after them, you may tell Mr. d.y.k.e your opinion of his poetry."

And hastening to the door, the baronet gave chase to the couple, already at quite a distance.

At this moment Farrell chanced to look around and, beholding the approaching macaroni, halted his companion and stood waiting, his sister feeling quite giddy with the thought of meeting so great a beau as Sir Percival.

"I 've a word or two to say that may interest you, Terence, if you can spare me a moment," began the baronet.

"My time is quite at your disposal, Sir Percival," replied Farrell.

"Permit me to present you to my sister."

Sir Percival bowed with graceful formality.

"La, Mistress Farrell," he sighed, prettily, "your father is indeed fortunate. With such a son and such a daughter his old age should be crowned with happiness and content."

"Father finds much to criticise," said the girl. "I fear he takes no such flattering view of his children as you insinuate he should."

"Criticise?" repeated Sir Percival in a tone of astonishment. "What can he wish for?"

"Much, if one may judge from his complaints," answered Winnie, not a little puffed up by the baronet's condescension and approval. "I 'll not keep you from your business with my prattle, sir. Terence, I will go on to Mrs. McCloud's and stop for you at the school-house on my way back."

"You are most amiable, Mistress Farrell," said Sir Percival, gratefully.

The girl courtesied in what she hoped was a good imitation of the London manner, and continued on her way, leaving the two gentlemen to stroll toward the schoolhouse.

"Well, Sir Percival," said Farrell knowingly, "what is afoot?"

As he spoke he gave the baronet a searching look, which drew forth a pleasant smile by way of answer.

"You never lose time in getting to the point."

"Except when it's a sword," replied Farrell. "Then I can be devilish slow."

Sir Percival's face wore a pensive look as he regarded his friend.

"For a country squire you present a wonderfully fashionable appearance,"

he remarked, his eye travelling approvingly from the bell-crowned beaver on the youth's well-shaped head to the carefully tied stock and thence to the immaculately polished boots which ornamented feet both small and neatly turned. "Your costume would not be out of place on Pall Mall, Terence."

With characteristic cunning the courtier had detected young Farrell's weak point. The youthful Irishman's fondest wish was that he might some day be acknowledged as a beau in no less a place than London itself; a city which dictated fashion to the rest of the kingdom, drawing its own inspiration from the finicky fancy of George Brummell, now at the height of his power as dictator of society.

Farrell flushed with pleasure at Sir Percival's commendation.

"I' faith," he answered, "even in Ireland we are not entirely lacking in taste."

"No, not entirely," observed the baronet. "And the cards, Terence?

Does Fortune smile upon you these days?"

"Not so frequently as my pocket demands, sir. To tell the truth, I 've played in most villainous luck this last week."

"Then possibly you would regard the opportunity to earn one hundred pounds with favoring eye?"

"Would I? Try me, Sir Percival," answered Farrell eagerly.

"Very well, Terence," replied the baronet, "but whether you accept or refuse my proposition you bind yourself as an honorable man to repeat to no one what I shall suggest?"

"Of course," answered Farrell. "You may confide in me, Sir Percival."

"I have work for that infernally clever brain of yours. One hundred pounds if you will devise a scheme that parts Bessie d.y.k.e from this Tom Moore who annoys me."

It cannot be said that Farrell was astonished at the words of Sir Percival. Nevertheless, that such a great and clever man should consider it advisable to obtain a.s.sistance in outwitting so comparatively rustic an individual as Tom Moore, was, in the youth's eyes, rather a damaging admission of weakness. At least so he regarded it, for the moment not realizing that to a gentleman of large fortune it was far more satisfactory to busy another's brain than to greatly exert his own, even though the result of the latter might be more pleasing in the end.

"One hundred pounds," repeated Sir Percival, languidly.

"But Tom Moore is my friend."

"Ah!" said the baronet, "in that case one hundred and _one_ pounds."

Farrell laughed a little.

"Very well, Sir Percival," said he, "I will undertake to earn the sum you mention. I must admit the airs and graces with which Moore sees fit to conduct himself are extremely offensive to me. His manner is one of extreme condescension, and more than once I have felt myself to be upon the verge of resenting it."