t event," he said. "Faust is kicking Mephistopheles."

"Drat them colts!" she cried, adding, after taking thought; "but we
haven't any horses of them names, sir."

"No! You surprise me. They are of the best Italian pedigree."

Meanwhile, he was achieving his object, which was to drive Mrs. Crowe back
towards the wicket.

Helen's voice came to them shrilly:

"That will do, Davie! Do you hear me?"

"Why, bless my 'eart, there's Miss Layton," said Mrs. Crowe.

"What a fine little boy this is!" exclaimed Brett, stooping over a
curly-haired urchin. "Is he the oldest?"

"Good gracious, sir, no. He's the youngest."

"Dear me, I would not have thought so. You must have been married very
early. Here, my little man, see what you can buy for half-a-crown."

"What a nice gentleman he is, to be sure," thought the lodge-keeper's
wife, when Brett passed through the smaller gate, assured that the
struggle in the park had ended.

"Just fancy 'im a-thinkin' Jimmy was the eldest, when I will be a
grandmother come August if all goes well wi' Kate."

The barrister signed to the groom to wait, and joined the young couple,
who now appeared in the roadway. A haggard, dishevelled, and furious man
burst through the avenue hedge and ran across the drive.

"Mrs. Crowe," he almost screamed, "do you see those two men there?"

"Yes, sir."

The good woman was startled by her master's sudden appearance and his
excited state.

"They are never to be admitted to the grounds again. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

Capella turned to rush away up the avenue, but he was compelled to limp.
Mrs. Crowe watched him wonderingly, and tried to piece together in her
mind the queer sounds and occurrences of the last two minutes.

She had not long been in the cottage when the butler arrived.

"You let two gentlemen in a while ago ?" he said.

"I did."

"One was Mr. David and the other a Mr. Brett?"

"Oh, was that the tall gentleman's name?"

"I expect so. Well, here's the missus's written order that whenever they
want to come to the 'ouse or go anywheres in the park it's O.K."

Mrs. Crowe was wise enough to keep her own counsel, but when the butler
retired, she said:

"Then I'll obey the missus, an' master can settle it with her. I don't
hold by Eye-talians, anyhow."

CHAPTER VI

AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE

Helen was very much upset by the painful scene which had just been
enacted. Its vulgarity appalled her. In a little old-world