"Now for V; this will be a harder task, I fancy. Vincent ?"

"No."

"Vivian ? "

"No."

He went through a great many more, but without guessing the right name.

"You see I can't," he said at last. "I think you might have pity on a poor fellow who never had any brains for guessing, and tell it to me."

66

Well, then, you can have it, if you like."

She took a slip of paper from her pocket, and, in spite of my frowning, and whispered remonstrance, wrote her name on it.

Mr. Percival put out his hand, but, instead

of giving it to him, she tossed the paper into an adjoining field.

"Now take it," she cried, laughing at his dismayed look.

A hedge of no inconsiderable height, on the other side of which was a not very shallow stream of water, separated the field from the road, so that the task she had given him was really a not very easy one to accomplish. "Certainly," he exclaimed. "I once got a prize for leaping; we'll see if I have forgotten," and, without another word, he sprang lightly over, just clearing the stream, and picked up the paper, after reading which he pressed it to his lips, and placed next his heart, then, bounding over the fence again, was beside us in a moment.

66 Now your name must be guessed," said Catherine, mischievously, to me. "Tell the initials."

212

VERNEY COURT: AN IRISH NOVEL.

"I'm not going to have my name guessed," I answered, with as much dignity as I could. The young man bowed.

“Wouldn't any one know her Christian name was Grace ?" said Catherine.

"It certainly suits her remarkably well," he replied.

"Yes, because it's such a puritanical, proper sort of name," laughed Catherine.

Mr. Percival smiled, and glanced at me, but I betrayed no sign of annoyance, and the conversation changed to other topics.

When we got home, Catherine would talk of nothing but the handsome stranger, whose lively manner had quite enchanted her. Whether any of her enthusiasm was assumed because she saw I did not share it, and clearly had not approved of her behaviour, I do not know.

CHAPTER XIV.

CECIL'S RETURN.

NEXT day, when out walking, we met Mr.

Percival, who joined us. The following day we again met him, as if by accident, and again the next, and the next, and so on every day till the time of Cecil's return drew very Catherine flirted with him in her own peculiar, half-childish, half-womanish, but wholly charming manner, and his admiration of her grew more and more undisguised. warned Catherine, but she only laughed at

near.

me.

I

"Which of them is it you want? I do

think it must be Mr. Percival, now," she cried.

for

"I don't want either," I replied. "I speak

your sake, and for Mr. Nugent's sake, and also because I don't think you are treating Mr. Percival quite fairly."

"Ah! don't pretend; it's all for Cecil's

sake, and nobody else's.

careful of his happiness.

You are always so

I do believe you'd

rather he'd marry me if you thought it would make him happy, than marry him yourself, though you loved him ever so much.

wouldn't be the way with me."

That

"I wish you wouldn't introduce subjects that have nothing to do with what we are speaking of, Catherine," I said, rather impatiently. "I was advising you to discontinue your acquaintance with Mr. Percival." "And I am not going to do so!"

"You know you must, Catherine, when