rely due to American
magic. America was, in fact, greatly lauded and discussed, the case of
"Gaarge" Lumsden being much quoted.

CHAPTER XXI

KEDGERS

The work at Stornham Court went on steadily, though with no greater
rapidity than is usually achieved by rural labourers. There was,
however, without doubt, a certain stimulus in the occasional appearance
of Miss Vanderpoel, who almost daily sauntered round the place to look
on, and exchange a few words with the workmen. When they saw her coming,
the men, hastily standing up to touch their foreheads, were conscious
of a slight acceleration of being which was not quite the ordinary
quickening produced by the presence of employers. It was, in fact, a
sensation rather pleasing than anxious. Her interest in the work was,
upon the whole, one which they found themselves beginning to share. The
unusualness of the situation--a young woman, who evidently stood for
many things and powers desirable, employing labourers and seeming to
know what she intended them to do--was a thing not easy to get over, or
be come accustomed to. But there she was, as easy and well mannered as
you please--and with gentlefolks' ways, though, as an American, such
finish could scarcely be expected from her. She knew each man's name,
it was revealed gradually, and, what was more, knew what he stood for
in the village, what cottage he lived in, how many children he had, and
something about his wife. She remembered things and made inquiries which
showed knowledge. Besides this, she represented, though perhaps they
were scarcely yet fully awake to the fact, the promise their discouraged
dulness had long lost sight of.

It actually became apparent that her ladyship, who walked with her, was
altering day by day. Was it true that the bit of colour they had heard
spoken of when she returned from town was deepening and fixing itself
on her cheek? It sometimes looked like it. Was she a bit less stiff and
shy-like and frightened in her way? Buttle mentioned to his friends at
The Clock that he was sure of it. She had begun to look a man in the
face when she talked, and more than once he had heard her laugh at
things her sister said.

To one man more than to any other had come an almost unspeakable piece
of luck through the new arrival--a thing which to himself, at least,
was as the opening of the heavens. This man was the discouraged Kedgers.
Miss Vanderpoel, coming with her ladyship to talk to him, found t