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 thrown into the fire, and, leaning, with his arms folded, under a cypress tree on the lawn of Marble Hall, Willis was himself again.

"You wicked man!" said the Baroness, approaching him, "where have you been all day? there is breakfast over without you. The Baron, he does so like to see his friends enjoy themselves at his house, was actually accusing me, poor me! of making some mistake about your card. Now is that likely? I'm a giddy thing, but not so bad as that. Why the Baron could not give a fête without you."

"I suppose not," said Willis, with one of his slight groans, which were so habitual that the Baroness did not mark its meaning character. "Captain Hopkinson arrived unexpectedly this morning, and that detained me."

"Oh! that excellent Captain Hopkinson. I wish you had brought him with you. And so I suppose his daughters missed their