eager eyes, to see if he could catch a glimpse of a chimney top amongst the trees, or any signs that would tell him the castle of the singing beauty was near at hand. When he reached the mouth of the glen he paused. Should he leave his horse here and walk up the glen? Yes, he decided after a moment's hesitation, he would do so, and, calling a ragged little boy who stood near, he dismounted, and threw him the reins. The gate was locked, but Lord Norwich took it with a flying leap, much to the admiration of the boy holding his horse, and then in a moment he had disappeared amongst the trees.

"How Ashurst and the other fellows would chaff if they saw me now," he thought, as, with a swinging, soldierly step, he made his way along the rough path that wound through the glen, “I should never hear the end of it."

He soon reached the scene of the picnic, marked by the fire-blackened circle on the ground. After a little hesitation, he climbed the rock, and took the same path he had done on the previous occasion when pursuing the flying singer. When he reached the hedge where he had captured her, he took a long look round him. The ground lying on the other side of the fence was not a mere grass field, such as he had at first imagined it to be; seen in the light of day, it had more the appearance of a park, or domain, though there was no habitation in sight. As he turned away, he caught a glimpse of something shining among the grass and moss, and picking it up, found it was a small silver locket, containing a twisted lock of golden brown hair; it must belong to the wood nymph, and he dropped it into the breast

pocket of his coat, after which he continued his way, not retracing his steps to the path by which he had come, but keeping close to the edge of the hedge. It was rather rough walking, for the ground was uneven and wet, and several times he sank up to his ankles in mud, but he was not to be daunted, for he felt certain that the grounds at the other side of the fence were not mere fields, and that a house must be near, and so pursued his way, regardless of obstacles. He had not gone very far, when suddenly he stopped, and a little exclamation of satisfaction escaped his lips. Before him stretched a soft, green, undulating park, in which stood a giant oak, with low, wide-spreading branches, and, seated on the lowest bough, swaying up and down, was a young girl in a white dress. She was grasping

the branch at either side, and as it gently rose and fell, he could see the slender, graceful figure of the girl clearly defined against the green background. She wore no hat, and as she bent over the book lying on her lap, the sunlight flickered down through the leaves, and fell in wavering golden lights on the graceful head, and twists of soft brown hair. She was quite unconscious of his presence, though he stood not ten yards away, and after a little the book dropped unheeded from her lap, and then, still swaying up and down, she began to sing softly to herself, and the summer air being perfectly still, he could hear the words, "Oh! Dermot Astore," etc.

Lord Norwich felt tempted to advance and offer her the locket, but hesitated, as

he thought he would have to account for

his presence in some way, which he might find difficult to do, and while he stood debating, the girl dropped lightly from

the tree, and, having picked up her book, sauntered slowly across the grass.

Lord Norwich watched her until she was lost to sight behind some trees, and then made his way back quickly to the gate.

"Can you tell me who lives up there?" he asked the boy, nodding towards the glen.

"Mr Desmond, sir, if it's Glencullin House you mean.'

"Mr Desmond," repeated Lord Norwich; "does he live there by himself?" (carelessly).

"He and the young lady," answered the boy, with a grin, as he clutched the half-crown Lord Norwich threw him.