disable me from promptly introducing him to my people, and before I recover my presence of mind, Algy has walked on with Barbara, and I am left to follow with Frank. He does not seem in one of his most sunshiny humours, but perhaps the long morning service, so trying, in its present arrangement of lengthy prayers, praises, and preaching, to a restless and irritable temper, is to blame for that. "I suppose," he says, speaking rather stiffly, "that I must congratulate you on the arrival of the first detachment." "First detachment of what ?" "Of your family. I understood you to say that there were to be relays of them during all Sir Roger's absence." "It is to be hoped so, I am sure," I say, devoutly; "especially" (looking up at him with mock reproach) "considering the in which my friends neglect me. way You never came, after all! No!" (seeing the utter unsmilingness of his expression, and speaking hastily), "I am not serious; I am only joking! No doubt you heard that they had come, and thought that you would be in the way. But, indeed, you would not. We had no secrets to talk ; we should not have minded you a bit.” "I did hear that they had arrived," he answers, still speaking ungraciously, "but even if I had not, I should not have come!" I look up in his face, and laugh. "You forgot? Ah, I told you you would!" "I did not forget." Again I look up at him, this time in honest astonishment, awaiting the solution of his enigma. "There is no particular use in making oneself cheap, is there?" he says, with a bitter little laugh. "What is the use of VOL. II. 5 going to a place where you are told that anyone else will do as well?" A pause. I walk along in silent wonderment. So he actually was huffy again! We have left the churchyard. We are in the road, between the dusty quicks of the hedgerows. The carriages bowl past us, whirling clouds of dust down our throats. One is trotting by now, a Victoria and pair of grays, and in it, leaning restfully back, and holding up her parasol, is the lady I noticed in church. Musgrave knows her apparently. At least, he takes off his hat. "Who is she?" I say, with a slightly aroused interest. "I was wondering in church. I suppose she is delicate, as she sat down through the psalms." At the moment I address him, Mr. Musgrave is battling angrily with an angrier wasp, but no sooner has he heard my question than he ceases his warfare, and allows it to buzz within half-an-inch of his nose, as he turns his hazel eyes, full of astonished inquiry, upon me. "You do not know?" "Not I," reply I lightly. "How should I? I know nobody in these parts." "That is Mrs. Huntley." "You do not say so!" reply I, ironically. "I am sure I am very glad to hear it, but I am not very much wiser than I was before." "Is it possible," he says, looking rather nettled at my tone, and lowering his voice a little, as if anxious to confine the question to me alone-a needless precaution, as there is no one else within hearing—“ that you have never heard of her ?" "Never!" reply I, in some surprise; 'why should I?-has she ever done anything very remarkable ?" He laughs slightly, but disagreeably. The Victoria is quite out of sight nowquite out of sight the delicately poised head, the dove-coloured parasol. "You are joking, of course," says Frank presently, turning towards me, and still speaking in that needlessly lowered key. "It is so long since I have seen you that I have got out of the habit of remembering that you never speak seriously; but, of course, you have heard—I mean Sir Roger has mentioned her to you!" "He has not!" reply I, speaking sharply, and raising my voice a little. "Neither has he mentioned any of the other neighbours to me! He had not time." No 66 rejoinder. Most likely," continue I, speaking with quick heat, for something in his manner galls me, "he did not recollect her existence." "Most likely." He is looking down at the white dust |