Ravenshoe. By Henry Kingsley.

58 RAVENSHOE.
"That is very comical, I dare say," said Adelaide, in a low
voice; "but I don't see the joke."
"I thought you would have had a laugh at me, perhaps," said
Charles; "it is rather a favorite amusement of yours."
"What, in the name of goodness, makes you so disagreeable
and cross to-day, Charles? You were never so before, when
anything happened. I am sure I am very sorry for your misfortune, though I really don't know its extent. Is it a very serious
thing?"
"Serious, very. I don't much like going home. Welter is
in the same scrape; who is to tell her?"
"This is the way," said Adelaide, "I'11 show you how to
manage her."
All. this was carried on in a low tone, and very rapidly. The
old lady had just begun, in a loud, querulous, scolding voice to
Charles, when Adelaide interrupted her with, -
" I say, grandma, Welter is rusticated too."
Adelaide good-naturedly said this to lead the old lady's wrath
from Charles, and throw it partly on to her grandson; but, however good her intentions, the execution of them was unsuccessful.
The old lady fell to scolding Charles; accusing him of being the
cause of the whole mishap, of leading Welter into every mischief, and stating her opinion that he was an innocent and exemplary youth, with the fault only of being too easily led away.
Charles escaped as soon as he could, and was followed by Adelaide.
"This is not true, is it?" she said. "It is not your fault?"
"My fault, partly, of course. But Welter would have been
sent down before, if it had n't been for me. He got me into the
scrape this time. He must n't go back there. You must n't let
him go back."
" I let him go back, forsooth! Wi hat on earth can I have to
do with his lordship's movements?" she said bitterly. "Do you
know who you are talking to? - a beggarly orphan."
"Hush! don't talk like that, Adelaide. Your power in this
house is very great. The power of the only sound head in the
house. You could stop anything you liked from happening."
They had come together at a conservatory door; and she put
her back against it, and held up her hand to bespeak his attention more particularly.
"I wish it was true, Charles; but it is n't. No one has any
power over Lord Ascot. Is Welter much in debt?"
"I should say, a great deal," was Charles's reply. "I think
I ought to tell you. You may help him to break it to them."
"Ay, he always comes to me for that sort of thing. Always
did from a child. I'll tell you what, Charles, there's trouble