ons。〃

〃Yes；　dear；　I　know；〃　said　her　mother；　〃and　I　dare　say　the　fortune　is　not　anything　like　as　large　as　they　say　it　is；　newspapers　are　so　inaccurate。　But　even　if　you　cut　it　down　by　half　…〃

〃Well；〃　said　Lenox；　〃it　has　not　been　left　to　us。〃

〃Not　exactly；　dear；〃　said　Lady　Tamplin；　〃but　this　girl；　this　Katherine　Grey；　is　actually　a　cousin　of　mine。　One　of　the　Worcestershire　Greys；　the　Edgeworth　lot。　My　very　own　cousin！　Fancy！〃

〃Ah…ha；〃　said　Lenox。

〃And　I　was　wondering　…〃　said　her　mother。

〃What　there　was　in　it　for　us；〃　finished　Lenox；　with　that　sideways　smile　that　her　mother　always　found　difficult　to　understand。

〃Oh；　darling；〃　said　Lady　Tamplin；　on　a　faint　note　of　reproach。

It　was　very　faint；　because　Rosalie　Tamplin　was　used　to　her　daughter's　outspokenness　and　to　what　she　called　Lenox's　unfortable　way　of　putting　things。

〃I　was　wondering；〃　said　Lady　Tamplin；　again　drawing　her　artistically　pencilled　brows　together；　〃whether　…　oh；　good　morning；　Chubby　darling；　are　you　going　to　play　tennis？　How　nice！〃

Chubby；　thus　addressed；　smiled　kindly　at　her；　remarked　perfunctorily；　〃How　topping　you　look　in　that　peach…coloured　thing；〃　and　drifted　past　them　and　down　the　steps。

〃The　dear　thing；〃　said　Lady　Tamplin；　looking　affectionately　after　her　husband。

〃Let　me　see；　what　was　I　saying？　Ah！〃　She　switched　her　mind　back　to　business　once　more。　〃I　was　wondering　…〃

〃Oh；　for　God's　sake　get　on　with　it。　That　is　the　third　time　you　have　said　that。〃

〃Well；　dear；〃　said　Lady　Tamplin；　〃I　was　thinking　that　if　would　be　very　nice　if　I　wrote　to　dear　Katherine　and　suggested　that　she　should　pay　us　a　little　visit　out　here。　Naturally；　she　is　quite　out　of　touch　with　Society。　It　would　be　nicer　for　her　to　be　launched　by　o