By degrees De Vlierbeck rallied sufficiently to take part in the chat; and gardening, agriculture, sporting, and a hundred different country topics, were fully discussed.

Lenora recovered her spirits and charmed their commercial guest by the mingled charms of her intellectual cleverness and innocent gayety.

Wild as a deer, she dared him to run a race with her, and danced along the paths by his side full of mirth and sportiveness.

In truth, Denecker was altogether captivated by the ingenuous girl, and, as he looked on her radiant face, could not help thinking that the future had some happy days in store for his gallant nephew.

After a while Lenora strayed off in advance with Gustave, while the two elders lingered lazily along the path.