on your generosity to the extent of a match or say a couple?" After a brief hesitation he drew out a very neat silver match-box, which he handed to me. "A fine day, sir?" I said, puffing at my pipe. Mr. Selwyn made no reply. "I hear that the crops are looking particularly healthy this year," I went on. Mr. Selwyn appeared to be utterly lost in the contemplation of an adjacent tree. "To my mind an old apple tree is singularly picturesque," I began again, "nice nobbly branches, don't you know." Mr. Selwyn began to fidget. "And then," I pursued, "they tell me that apples are so good for the blood." Mr. Selwyn shifted his gaze to the toe of his riding boot, and for a space there was silence, so much so, indeed, that an inquisitive rabbit crept up and sat down to watch us with much interest, until—evidently remembering some pressing engagement—he disappeared with a flash of his white tail. "Talking of rabbits," said I, "they are quite a pest in Australia, I believe, and are exterminated by the thousand; I have often wondered if a syndicate could not be formed to acquire the skins—this idea, so far as I know, is original, but you are quite welcome to it if—" Mr. Selwyn rose abruptly to his feet. "I once in my boyhood possessed a rabbit—of the lop-eared variety," I continued, "which overate itself and died. I remember I attempted to skin it with dire results—" "Sir." said Mr. Selwyn. "I beg to inform you that I am not interested in rabbits, lop-eared or otherwise, nor do I propose to become so; furthermore—" But at this moment of my triumph, even as he turned to depart, something small and white fluttered down from the branches above, and the next moment Selwyn had stooped and picked up a lace handkerchief. Then, while he stared at it and I at him, there came a ripple of laughter and Lisbeth peered down at us through the leaves. "My handkerchief-thank you," she said, as Selwyn stood somewhat taken aback by her sudden appearance. "The trees hereabouts certainly bear
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