a distant cousin, connected by blood with the late Mrs. Bellairs. Absent-minded and dogmatic, Aunt Ruby was nevertheless amiable and kindly, and Olive was really fond of her. But it was rare for her to leave Rome or Babylon to speak on commonplace subjects. She was difficult to manage, and required no little humouring.

On seeing two young men standing bareheaded before her, she stopped and looked bewildered. Then she recognized them both and smiled. Finally she pointed a lean finger at Lord Aldean.

"Septem alta jugis toti quæ presidet orbi,'" said Miss Slarge, solemnly. "What does that mean, Lord Aldean?"

"Great Scott!" gasped Jim, cramming his hat on his head, "I don't know."

"Yet you call yourself a scholar, sir?"

"No, I don't, Miss Slarge. I call Mr. Mallow a scholar. What is it, Mallow?"

"The lofty city with seven hills which governs the whole world," translated Mallow.

"I know that," snapped Miss Slarge; "it is a simple sentence from Virgil. But what city?"

"Rome, of course; what other city has seven hills?"

"I was certain of it," cried Miss Slarge, triumphantly; "the chief seat of idolatry under the New Testament. Mystery, Babylon the great--that is Rome!"

"Is it indeed," said Aldean, for her eyes were fastened upon him. "What a rum idea!"

"Jim, Jim," reproved Mallow, smiling.

"It is a very wonderful idea," said Miss Slarge, reproachfully. "Do you know, Mr. Mallow, I made a most remarkable discovery last week? The two-horned mitre of the Romish bishops is nothing but the mitre worn by Dagon, the fish-god of the Babylonians."

"I do not quite understand, Miss Slarge."

"It is not difficult," replied the lady. "Dagon was depicted as half man, half fish."

"I know," cried Aldean; "he had a fish's tail, like a mermaid."

"True enough," assented Mallow; "but that does not explain the 

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