was twirled round in the room and left to commence his search as best he might.

Marian Arbuthnot was not the only soft little laughing darling that wished to be caught, and blinded, so that there was great pulling at the blindman's tails, and much grasping at his outstretched arms before the desired object was attained. And he wandered round the room skilfully, as though a thought were in his mind false to his treaty with Marian,—as though he imagined for a moment that some other prize might be caught. But if so, the other prize evaded him carefully, and in due progress of play, Marian's soft curls were within his grasp. 'I'm sure I didn't speak, or say a word,' said she, as she ran up to her grandmother to have the handkerchief put over her eyes. 'Did I, grandmamma?'

'There are more ways of speaking than one,' said Lady Staveley. 'You and Mr. Graham understand each other, I think.

'Oh, I was caught quite fairly,' said Marian—'and now lead me round and round.' To her at any rate the festivities of Christmas-day were not too ponderous for real enjoyment.

And then, at last, somebody caught the judge. I rather think it was Madeline; but his time in truth was come, and he had no chance of escape. The whole room was set upon his capture, and though he barricaded himself with chairs and children, he was duly apprehended and named. 'That's papa; I know by his watch-chain, for I made it.'

'Nonsense, my dears,' said the judge. 'I will do no such thing. I should never catch anybody, and should remain blind for ever.'

'But grandpapa must,' said Marian. 'It's the game that he should be blinded when he's caught.'

'Suppose the game was that we should be whipped when we are caught, and I was to catch you,' said Augustus.

'But I would not play that game,' said Marian.

'Oh, papa, you must,' said Madeline. 'Do—and you shall catch Mr. Furnival.'

'That would be a temptation,' said the judge. 'I've never been able to do that yet, though I've been trying it for some years.'

'Justice is blind,' said Graham. 'Why should a judge be ashamed to follow the example of his own goddess?' And so at last the owner of the ermine submitted, and the stern magistrate of the bench was led round with the due incantation of the spirits, and dismissed into chaos to seek for a new victim.

One of the rules of blindman's buff at Noningsby was this, that it should not be played by candlelight,—a rule that is in every way judicious, as thereby an end is secured for that which might otherwise be unending. And therefore when it became so dark in the schoolroom that there was not much difference between the