That there is nothing succeeds like success, is an axiom most profoundly believed in by women. The sex have a natural tendency to hero-worship, and can you but snatch the laurel-leaf, you will ever count plenty of admirers among them. In the drawing-room at Todborough that evening the victor of the afternoon was quite the hero of the occasion; but we may be sure that in the course of the conversation the race provoked, Lady Mary did not neglect to ascertain how it was that Lionel had become on such a familiar footing with Sylla Chipchase. That young lady having dropped the mask, of course Beauchamp made no mystery of the fact that they lived close to each other and had been friends from childhood. Lady Mary was by no means gratified by this discovery. She foresaw that Lionel must necessarily be thrown much into the society of one whom, with all her prejudice, she could not but admit was a most attractive girl; and she reflected that young men at times discover that the little-thought-of playmates of their childhood have grown up wondrous fair to look upon. Blanche’s curiosity, too, was also much exercised on this subject, and young ladies, in their own artless fashion, can cross-examine in such cases as adroitly as a Queen’s Counsel. On one point there was much unanimity, namely, that it was a great triumph for the Grange, and most satisfactory that Jim Bloxam’s defeat should have been so speedily avenged.

In the tobacco parliament, held as usual after the ladies had retired, the race was again discussed, but from its more professional aspect.

“In these hard times,” exclaimed Jim, “we cannot allow such a formidable amateur to be idle. We shall have to christen you the ‘Suffolk Stag,’ Beauchamp, enter you at Lillie Bridge, and keep on matching you at the Orleans Club, Hurlingham, and in the vicinity of the metropolis generally. There is only one thing puzzles me: while we were all talking pedestrianism the other evening, you never gave us a hint of your powers. You and Miss Sylla could not surely have already arranged the successful coup of this afternoon?”

Pansey Cottrell listened somewhat curiously for Lionel’s reply. He did not think exactly that the pair were confederates, but he most assuredly suspected that the little comedy had been most deliberately planned by the young lady, though not perhaps intended to have been played had Jim Bloxam proved successful; but he called to mind the dexterity with which she had led up to the wager, and thought of the many rash bets which he had seen the esquires of fair women goaded into by their charges at Sandown, Ascot, and the like.

“Certainly not,” replied Beauchamp, “I knew nothing about it till I was called upon to run. If I had, I should have protested strongly; but it was too late when I was consulted there was nothing for it but to save her bracelet if I could.”

“Well, all I can say,” returned Jim, “is that the lady is a much better judge of your capabilities than you are yourself; though how she got her knowledge I own I am at a loss to determine.”

“Well,” said Lionel, as he ejected a thin cloud of smoke from his lips, “I can explain that to you. I was the quickest in my time at Harrow, and Sylla Chipchase knows that, as well as that when I was out in North America after the big game I could hold my own with any of the Indian hunters of our party; but I never contended against any amateur runners at home here. I should think, Bloxam, your opinion is the same as my own about this afternoon. Montague would, I fancy, have beaten me if he hadn’t tried to cut me down; over double the distance I have no doubt I should always beat him.”

“It might have made a difference,” returned Jim; “but I should back you all the same if it were to be run over again.”

“By the way, Bloxam,” observed Mr. Sartoris, as he busied himself in opening a bottle of seltzer-water, “now I am down here I must see Trotbury Cathedral. I suppose it’s easy enough to slip over by rail from Commonstone.”

“Oh dear, yes,” replied Jim; “but hang it, that’s an idea! We’ll do ever so much better than that, we’ll organize a big ride-and-drive party there; as many of us as can will ride, and the remainder must travel on wheels. We will have every available horse out of the stables to-morrow, go over to Trotbury, lunch at “The Sweet Waters,” do the cathedral and place generally in the afternoon, and get back in time for dinner. It’ll make a capital day, suit everybody down to the ground.”

“That would be very charming, and it is extremely good of you to suggest it; but, my dear Bloxam, I didn’t quite mean that. Lady Mary has very likely made other arrangements, and of course I don’t want to interfere with those. I can slip over by myself

“Oh, fiddle-de-dee!” interposed Jim. “My mother will be only too glad to hear that we have hit off our day’s diversion.”

“Yes,” observed Mr. Cottrell, in a meditative manner; “I have known Lady Mary for many years, and that is her great charm as a hostess. She is always anxious that her guests should amuse themselves after their own fashion. Too many of our entertainers, alas! will insist upon it we shall amuse ourselves in theirs.”

Jim Bloxam looked sharply at the speaker as he lit his bed-room candle. Jim had a shrewd idea that Mr. Cottrell at times laughed a little at his friends as well as with them.

“Cottrell is right, however,” he said. “It’s time to go to bed. After dancing all last night and running races this afternoon, Beauchamp, like myself, feels no doubt fit for it.”

When Mr. Cottrell reached his bed-room, he took two or three turns up and down the floor in a somewhat preoccupied manner. At length a faint smile played about his mouth, and muttering to himself, “I will!” he seated himself at the writing-table, rapidly penned a short note, addressed it, and then sought his pillow in the tranquil frame of mind that befits a man who has planned a pleasant surprise for his fellow-creatures. When his valet brought him his cup of tea the next morning at nine, Mr. Cottrell briefly informed him that there was a note on the table for the rectory.

“If you don’t know where it is, Smithson,” he continued, “inquire quietly. Take it at once; there is no answer; and no tattling about where you have been, mind.”

Smithson vanished silently, though aggrieved. He did feel that the latter injunction to such a model of discretion as himself amounted almost to an insult. A very paragon of valets was Smithson could be relied on to be mute as a fish concerning his master’s doings, unless paid to be otherwise, when he of course held to the accepted traditions of his class.

After a previous conference with the stable authorities, Jim Bloxam at breakfast proposed the Trotbury expedition. Lady Mary listened to the proposed excursion at first with some misgivings. She expected to hear it announced that the Chipchase girls had been already asked to join the party. They had been thus invited so often before, that they would have been quite justified in themselves proposing to do so on hearing such an expedition was in contemplation; but no, neither from Blanche nor Jim came a hint of such being the case; and then Lady Mary expressed most unqualified approval of the idea. It was settled that they should start punctually at twelve; and as Mr. Cottrell had not as yet made his appearance, Lady Mary very thoughtfully sent a message up to his room to inform him of what was in contemplation. The breakfast party had nearly all dispersed, even the late comers had thrown their napkins on the table, and yet the hostess, usually one of the first to bustle off upon her own private affairs, still lingered over the Morning Post.

“Come, mother,” said Jim, suddenly putting his head into the room, “if you have finished. I want you to help me to tell people off. The governor is not coming; so that leaves his hack at our disposal. I thought if we gave that to Sartoris, Beauchamp and myself can take the hunters, Blanche has her own horse, and the rest of you can go quite comfortably in the break. I told them to take the hood off. And as for Braybrooke, he is going over to Rockcliffe to see some chum of his who is quartered there.”

“I have no doubt, my dear Jim, that will all do very well,” replied Lady Mary. “I don’t think I shall go myself; and Mrs. Evesham is also, I fancy, of my way of thinking.”

“All right, then; I shall consider that as settled;” and with that observation Jim left his mother once more in the undisturbed enjoyment of her paper.

But whether the proceedings of her Majesty’s Government, or whether the denunciation of her Majesty’s Opposition, were not to her liking; or whether the perusal of the Court news had disturbed her serenity; whether it was that the latest discovery in tenors was reported stricken with sore throat that grieved her; or whether it was the last atrocity in crime that made her flesh creep and so disquieted her, it was impossible to say; but that Lady Mary fidgeted considerably over her journal was a fact past dispute. A looker-on, had there been one, would have noticed that her eye frequently wandered from the page to the door; and as the clock on the mantelpiece chimed eleven, she rose from her chair with a petulant gesture and walked towards the window. A few minutes more, and her patience was rewarded: Pansey Cottrell strolled into the room, and rang lazily for some fresh tea.

“You’re shamefully late, Pansey; you always are, I know,” she said, as she advanced with outstretched hand to greet him. “But it was too bad of you to be so when I am so particularly anxious to talk to you.”

“My dear Lady Mary, why did you not send me word upstairs? You know my usual habits; but you know also that I break them without hesitation whenever I can be of service to a lady, or even gratify her caprice.”

Lady Mary laughed, as she said, “I know better than to exact such a tremendous sacrifice.” She was perfectly well aware that Cottrell, blandly as he might talk, never submitted to the faintest interference with what he termed his natural hours. “You are in my confidence,” she continued, “and have seen how circumstances combined against me. Who could have dreamt those Chipchase girls had such a provokingly pretty cousin? They had never even mentioned her very existence.”

“Yes, it is awkward,” replied Cottrell slowly, “a Miss Chipchase turning up who is dangerous decidedly dangerous.”

“Yes; and the rector’s daughters have always been so intimate with us all that it is difficult to keep them at a distance in fact, since they amalgamated with our party at that dreadful ball, impossible. Tell me, what do you think of this Sylla Chipchase? You met her down in Suffolk. She is just the saucy chit men go wild about, I suppose?”

“Well,” replied Cottrell, with a malicious twinkle in his eyes, “there is no real harm in the girl; but she’d flirt with a bishop if she sat next to him at dinner. And as for men going wild about her, we had two or three very pretty women at Hogden’s last year; and the manner in which some of those fellows wavered in their allegiance was positively shameful.”

“Men always do make such fools of themselves about girls of that sort,” said Lady Mary, with no little asperity. “Tell me, did you notice anything between them?”

“Between whom?” replied Cottrell languidly, and with an expression of such utter ignorance of her meaning in his face as did infinite credit to his histrionic powers.

“Between her and Mr. Beauchamp, of course,” said Lady Mary sharply.

“Beauchamp wasn’t there,” replied Cottrell. “I never saw him till I met him in this house.”

“And what do you think about it now?”

“Two things,” replied Cottrell, smiling, “both of which are calculated to give you comfort. First, people brought up together don’t often fall in love; seeing too much of each other is probably an excellent antidote to that complaint. Secondly, that he seems very much devoted to Miss Bloxam at present.”

“Well, I hope you are right,” said Lady Mary. “It would really be a very nice thing for Blanche. At all events, we are out of the Chipchase girls for to-day.” And, so saying, she rose somewhat comforted, little aware, poor woman, that another ringer was meddling with the ropes.

But now the party began to muster in the front hall. Lady Mary observed with maternal complacency that Blanche was looking her best and brightest in one of Creed’s masterpieces. Jim was fidgeting about, all impatience, and, throwing open the dining-room door, called out,

“You really have time for no more breakfast, Cottrell, if you are coming with us. You must put off further satisfying of your hunger until we arrive at ‘The Sweet Waters’ at Trotbury. The horses will be round directly. Ah, here they are!”

And as he spoke, the sound of hoofs was heard on the gravel outside, speedily followed by a peal on the bell; and Mr. Cottrell emerged from the dining-room just in time to see Jim open the hall door to Laura Chipchase, attired in hat and habit, with Miss Sylla mounted and holding her cousin’s horse in the background.

Mr. Cottrell contemplated the tableau with all the exultation of a successful artist; and as for Lady Mary, her heart sank within her as the conviction crossed her mind she was destined never to be quit of that “Suffolk girl.”

“Admirable, Laura!” exclaimed Jim, as he shook hands. “What happy chance inspired you to turn up all ready for riding? We are just off to lunch at Trotbury, and of course you and Miss Sylla will join us.”

“That will be charming,” replied Miss Chipchase. “Sylla was wild for a ride this morning; so she and I came over to see if any of you are in the same mood;” and then the young lady passed on to greet the rest of the party.

Lady Mary, sad to say, received this statement with the utmost incredulity, and mentally arraigned her own offspring of duplicity; but whether Jim or Blanche was the traitor she could not determine. Could she but have peeped over Sylla Chipchase’s shoulder as that laughter-loving damsel read Pansey Cottrell’s note, she would have been both enlightened and astonished.

“DEAR MISS SYLLA,” it ran, “I cannot recollect the name of the French song that you told me would just suit Mrs. Wriothesley. Please send it me. We are all going over to-morrow to lunch at Trotbury; some on horseback, and some upon wheels. You should join the riding party if you can, as it will be doubtless pleasant; and though I am not empowered to say so, Lady Mary will of course be delighted to see you.”

“Song!” muttered Miss Sylla, as she read this note, “I never said anything to him about a French song; but, ah stop I think I see it now!” and she ran through the note again, and as she finished it, broke into a merry laugh. “What a dear, clever, mischievous old man he is!” she muttered. “Of course he means that I am to join that riding party and make Lady Mary a little uncomfortable. Well, she really does deserve it. How dare she pretend that I am setting my cap at Lionel? Such a designing matron deserves some slight punishment, and she little knows what Mr. Cottrell and I can do when we combine together to avenge ourselves.”

When she descended to the breakfast-room, Sylla found no difficulty in persuading her cousin Laura to go for a ride. It was of course easy to suggest Trotbury. Then it was agreed they might as well look in at the Grange on the way, to see if they could persuade any of the party there to join them in such an expedition; and thus Sylla Chipchase successfully carried out Mr. Cottrell’s design, without making mention to any one of the note that she had received from him.

The merry party were soon started. The Misses Evesham, Mrs. Sartoris, and Pansey Cottrell in the carriage the reduced number of those electing to travel on wheels sparing the latter the indignity of the “break” the remainder were of course upon horseback; and as Lady Mary looked after them, admiring the firm seat of her daughter sitting squarely and well back in her saddle, she wondered whether the “Suffolk chit,” as she persistently termed her, could ride.

“That’s a very good-looking one you are riding, Miss Bloxam, and up to a stone or two more than your weight, as a lady’s horse always should be.”

“I don’t know about that,” replied Blanche, laughing. “I am tall, and by no means of the thread-paper order. King Cole,” she continued. leaning forward to pat the glossy neck of her black favourite, “would probably tell you he found me quite enough on his back, could he be consulted. He is as good, too, as he is handsome, as I shall perhaps have an opportunity of showing you to-day.”

“How so?” inquired Beauchamp.

“Well, we very often on these excursions to Trotbury ride there quietly, and then lark home. There is a lovely piece of galloping ground over Tapton Downs, and a charming cut across country this side of it, by which we can save nearly a mile.”

“That’ll be great fun,” replied Beauchamp, “and I advocate strongly such a saving of distance on our homeward journey. This is one of your father’s hunters I am riding, is it not?”

“Yes, and a grand jumper he is too: accustomed to papa’s weight, carrying you will be quite play to him.”

Arrived at Trotbury, the first thing, as Jim remarked, was obviously to order lunch at “The Sweet Waters;” fortified with which they could then proceed to do the cathedral, and spend as much time as seemed good to them over that noble pile.

“There are all sorts of tombs and chapels to see,” continued Jim, “with more than an average crop of historical legends concerning them; and the vergers have all the characteristics of that class: once upset them in their parrot-like description, and they flounder about in most comical manner. The last time I was here they showed me the tomb of St. Gengulphus, with an effigy of that eminent clergyman considerably damaged about the nose in stone, on the top. I appealed to the verger gravely to know if it was considered a good likeness. He was staggered for a moment, and then replied hurriedly that it was. But, thank goodness, here comes the lunch. I feel as hungry as an unsuccessful hawk.”

“Too bad of you, too bad, Mr. Cottrell,” exclaimed Sylla Chipchase; “you were not one of the riding party, and so I have had no opportunity as yet of rebuking you for your forgetfulness: you had no business to forget the name of that French song I told you to recommend to my aunt.”

“Allow me to observe, Miss Sylla, that I don’t consider I deserve much rebuke on the subject. I quite remembered your message to Mrs. Wriothesley; it was only the name of the song that escaped my memory.”

“Is Mrs. Wriothesley an aunt of yours?” inquired Blanche, with no little curiosity; “we know her, and often meet her in town.”

“Yes; isn’t she charming? I am going up to stay with her as soon as the Easter holidays are over; we shall no doubt meet often.”

Blanche said no more, but pondered for a minute or two over this little bit of intelligence. She did not understand why, but she was quite certain that her mother disliked Sylla Chipchase, and was conscious of being not quite in accord with that young lady herself. She knew, moreover, that if there was one person that Lady Mary detested in all her London circle, it was this very Mrs. Wriothesley.

But luncheon is finished, and the whole party proceed to view the cathedral. Pansey Cottrell, however, was not to be got beyond the threshold: he protested that he had too small a mind for so great a subject, and declared his intention of solacing himself with a cigar outside for the temporary absence of the ladies, which was, as Miss Sylla informed him, a mere pandering to the coarser instincts of his nature, whatever he might choose to call it. With the exception of Mr. Sartoris, it may be doubted whether any of the party paid much attention to what they were shown. The principal effect on Blanche’s mind was a hazy conviction that Sylla Chipchase was a somewhat disagreeable girl. She considered that the familiar way in which that young lady addressed Lionel Beauchamp, to say the least of it, was in very bad taste.

But these irreverent pilgrims at last brought their inspection of the famous shrine to a conclusion, having displayed on the whole, perhaps, no more want of veneration than is usually shown by such sightseers, and, picking up the philosophic Cottrell in the close, wended their way once more back to “The Sweet Waters.”

“Don’t you think Lady Mary was enraptured to see me this morning, Mr. Cottrell?” inquired Sylla Chipchase, as they lingered for a minute or two behind the rest.

“Quite sure of it,” was the reply, and the speaker’s keen dark eyes twinkled with fun as he spoke; “and what is more, if my ears do not deceive me, we shall carry back to the Grange a little bit of intelligence that I am quite sure will gladden the heart of our hostess.”

“What is that?” inquired Sylla.

“Don’t you know? No; how could you possibly, considering that you are only now about to make your debut in the London world? You must know, then, that your aunt Mrs. Wriothesley is the object of Lady Mary’s particular detestation.”

“But how came that about? What was the cause of their quarrel? I am sure my aunt is a very charming woman.”

“An assertion that I most cordially endorse, and so would all the men of her acquaintance, and most of the women; but when you come to ladies in society, there are wheels within wheels, you see. Your aunt and Lady Mary have been rivals.”

“Nonsense, Mr. Cottrell!” exclaimed Sylla; “why, my aunt is at least fifteen years younger than Lady Mary. She was not only married, but all her children born, before my aunt Mrs. Wriothesley came out.”

“True, Miss Sylla; but there are rivalries of many kinds, as you will find as you grow older. I can only repeat what I have said before Mrs. Wriothesley and Lady Mary have been rivals.”

“Please explain,” said Sylla in her most coaxing tones.

“No, no,” rejoined Cottrell, laughing; “you are quick enough, and can afford to trust to your own ears and your own observation when you reach town.”

On again arriving at “The Sweet Waters” Jim ordered tea at once, and the horses in half an hour. The conversation became general around the tea-table, and Jim Bloxam was suddenly moved by one of those strokes of inspiration of which his mother had such wholesome dread.

“Miss Sylla,” he explained, “I hear you are a theatrical ‘star’ of magnitude in your own country; there is Mrs. Sartoris too, well known on the amateur London boards; and there are others amongst us who have figured with more or less success. It would be sinful to waste so much dramatic talent; don’t you think so, Blanche? We have not time to get up regular theatricals, but there is no reason we should not do some charades to-morrow evening; don’t you all think it would be great fun?”

There was a general chorus of assent from all but Blanche, though Miss Bloxam did not venture upon any protest.

“Then I consider that settled,” exclaimed Jim. “You will do the proper thing, Laura; my mother’s compliments to your father, and she hopes you will all come up in the evening for charades and an impromptu valse or two in the hall. And now, ladies and gentlemen, to horse, to horse! or else we shall never save the dressing-bell.”

“And, Jim,” exclaimed Miss Bloxam, as she gathered up her habit, “let’s go the cross-country way home.”

“Certainly; well thought of, sister mine. It’s a lovely evening for a gallop.”