It  cost  Mrs.  Bazalgette  a  struggle  to  admire  the
garden  and  borrowed  stream  ;  they  were  so  pretty.  She
made  the  struggle,  and  praised  all.  Lucy  walking  behind
the  pair,  watched  them  with  innocent  satisfaction.  "  How
fast  they  are  making  friends,"  thought  she,  mistaking  an
armistice  for  an  alliance.
"Since  the  place  is  so  fortunate  as  to  please  you,  you
will  stay  a  week  with  me,  madam,  at  least."

"  A  week !  If  o,  Mr.  Fountain,  I  really  admire  your
courtesy  too  much  to  abuse  it."

"  Not  at  all :  you  will  oblige  me."

"  I  cannot  bring  myself  to  think  so."

"  You  may  believe  me.    I  have  a  selfish  motive."

"  Oh,  if  you  are  in  earnest."

"  I  will  explain.  If  you  are  my  guest  for  a  week,  that
will  give  me  a  claim  to  be  yours  in  turn ; "  and  he  bent  a
keen  look  upon  the  lady  as  much  as  to  say,  Now  I  shall
see  whether  you  dare  let  me  spy  on  yeu  as  you  are  doing
on  me.
134  LOVE  ME  LITTLE,   LOVE  ME  LONG.
"  I  propose  an  amendment,"  said  Mrs.  Bazalgette  with
a  merry  air  of  defiance;  "for  every  day  I  enjoy  here,
you  must  spend  two  beneath  my  roof.  On  this  condition
I  will  stay  a  week  at  Font  Abbey."

"  I  consent,"  said  Mr.  Fountain,  a  little  sharply :  he
liked  the  bargain.  "1  must  leave  you  to  Lucy  for  a
minute.  I  have  some  orders  to  give  :  I  like  my  guests
to  be  comfortable."  With  this  he  retired  to  his  study
and  pondered.  "  What  is  she  here  for  ?  it  is  not  affec-
tion for  Lucy :  that  is  all  my  eye,  a  selfish  toad  like  her.
