purpose was to go to
Cartmell's office, to transact some legal business; as he could easily
have brought his papers up to the Priory, this did not seem very
convincing. Our way took us past the great Driver works--conducted now
by a limited company, in which Jenny held a controlling interest. In
front of the big building was a large open space, still known as "The
Green" though constant traffic of feet had worn away all trace of grass.
Here was the forum of Catsford, where men assembled for open-air
meetings and, less formally, for discussion, gossip--even, it was said,
for betting--in their spare moments, and especially in the dinner-hour.
It happened to be the dinner-hour now--as Jenny observed innocently when
we found the place full of Driver employees who had swallowed their meal
and were talking together or lounging about, their pipes in their
mouths. Cartmell gave a grim chuckle at Jenny's artless surprise. He had
taken her return very quietly, loyally accepting his position as her man
of business, but hardly welcoming her with real cordiality. I fancy that
he found it hard to forgive; was not Fillingford Manor gone forever?

We had not progressed many yards before she was recognized. She courted
recognition, stopping to speak to an old artisan who had once been
introduced to her as a contemporary of her father's. Men gathered round
her as she sat chatting with the veteran. She seemed unconscious of
being gradually surrounded. At last, with a most gracious good-by, she
said, "Now drive on, please," then looked suddenly round, saw all the
folk, and bowed and smiled. One fellow started, "Three cheers for Miss
Driver!" That set the thing going. They gave her cheer on cheer. Jenny
sat through it smiling, flushed, just once glancing across to me with a
covert triumph. The cheers brought more men running up; there were two
or three hundred round us. "Welcome home!" they cried. "Welcome home!"
Then somebody called, "Speech, speech!" The cry was taken up with
hilarious enthusiasm, and the crowd grew every minute.

Suddenly on the outskirts of the throng I saw a man on horseback. He had
stopped his horse and was looking on. There was no mistaking Lacey's
handsome face and trim figure.

Jenny rose to her feet and held up her hand for silence. She spoke her
few words in a ringing voice. "My friends and neighbors, thank you for
your welcome home. I am glad from my heart to be in Catsford again.
That's where Nicholas Driver'