not set herself above the world in moral matters.

I went up to the Priory after dinner, availing myself of Jenny's
strictly defined invitation. But up there I made a blunder. I blundered
into a room where one person at least did not want me--I am not so sure
about the other. Dormer had gone clean out of my head; more serious
matters were to the front. Heedlessly I charged into the library; there
were he and Jenny! Luckily I seemed to have arrived only at the tail-end
of their conversation. "Quite final," were the words I heard from her
lips as I opened the door. She was standing opposite Dormer, looking
demurely resolute, but quite gentle and friendly. He was looking not
much distressed, but most remarkably sulky.

I tried to back out, but she called me in. "Come in, Austin. You're just
in time to bid Mr. Dormer good night."

He shrugged his shoulders. "I suppose I'd better be off. I'll pick up
the car at the stables."

"Good night. We shall see you again some day soon?"

"I don't know about that. I may go away for a bit--and anyhow I expect
to be pretty busy."

"Oh, yes, we shall see you again some day soon!" she said very kindly
and persuasively. "You won't let it be too long, will you? And you will
see Mr. Cartmell about that business, won't you?"

He nodded in an offhand surly fashion--but he might be excused for being
a little out of temper. Evidently he was not going to get Jenny's land;
apparently she was still to get what she wanted of his. "You'll have to
pay for them!" he reminded her, almost threateningly.

"A fancy price for my fancy? Well, I'm always ready to pay that," said
Jenny. "Good night and, mind you, quite soon!" Her tone implied real
anxiety to see her friend again; under its influence he gave a
half-unwilling nod of assent.

I escorted him as far as the hall door--further than that he declined my
company. I held a match for him to light his cigar and gave him a
stirrup-cup. "Good night, Austin!" Then his irritation got the better of
him. "Damn it, does she want Lacey for herself, after all?" Evidently
the great event of the day--from our point of view--had not been
confided to him.

"Oh, no, you may be sure she doesn't."

"Then what the deuce she does want I don't know--and I don't believe she
does!" With this parting grumble he slouched off sulkily toward the
stable.

As a humane man, I was sorry for his plight; Jenny was still serenely
ruthless.

"Annoyed, isn't he?" she asked