have said that he was married as soon as he entered the room.

"I have a very large family," answered the squire, and after enjoying for
a moment the surprise he saw in Mrs. Ambrose's face, he added with a
laugh, "I have a library of ten thousand volumes--a very large family
indeed. Otherwise I have no encumbrances, thank heaven."

"You are a scholar?" asked Mr. Ambrose eagerly.

"A book fancier, only a book fancier," returned the squire modestly. "But
I am very fond of the fancy."

"What is a book fancier, mamma?" asked little Eleanor in a whisper. But
Mr. Juxon heard the child's question.

"If your mamma will bring you up to the Hall one of these days, Miss
Goddard, I will show you. A book fancier is a terrible fellow who has
lots of books, and is pursued by a large evil genius telling him he must
buy every book he sees, and that he will never by any possibility read
half of them before he dies."

Little Eleanor stared for a moment with her great violet eyes, and then
turning again to her mother, whispered in her ear.

"Mamma, he called me Miss Goddard!"

"Run out and play in the garden, darling," said her mother with a smile.
But the child would not go and sat down on a stool and stared at the
squire, who was immensely delighted.