id.

"Certainly," said Jeff, "when he has nothing better to do."

She turned to Hugh with a bright little smile. Her tears were wholly
gone, and he marvelled. "I hope that will be often, Hugh," she said.

"Thank you," Hugh said gravely. "Thank you very much." He added, after a
moment, to Jeff: "I shall probably be down here a good deal now. The
squire is beginning to feel his age. In fact, he wants me to make my
home with him. I don't propose to do that entirely, but I can't leave
him alone for long at a time."

"I see," said Jeff. He glanced towards Doris. "Shall we start back?" he
said.

Hugh propped his gun against a tree, and stepped forward to mount her.
"So you still have Hector," he said.

"Jeff's wedding present," she answered, still smiling.

Lightly she mounted, and for a single moment he felt her passing touch
upon his shoulder. Then Hector moved away, stepping proudly. Jeff was
already in the saddle.

"Good-bye!" said Doris, looking back to him. "Don't forget to come and
see us!"

She was gone.

Hugh Chesyl turned with the sun-rays dazzling him, and groped for his
gun.

He found it, shouldered it, and strode away down the woodland path. His
face as he went was the face of a man suddenly awakened to the stress
and the turmoil of life.

CHAPTER VIII

THE NEW LIFE

There was no doubt about it. Granny Grimshaw was not satisfied. Deeper
furrows were beginning to appear in her already deeply furrowed face.
She shook her head very often with pursed lips when she was alone. And
this despite the fact that she and the young mistress of the Mill House
were always upon excellent terms. No difficulties ever arose between
them. Doris showed not the smallest disposition to usurp the old
housekeeper's authority. Possibly Granny Grimshaw would have been better
pleased if she had. She spent much of her time out-of-doors, and when in
the house she was generally to be found in the little sitting-room that
Jeff had fitted up for her.

She had her meals in the parlour with Jeff, and these were the sole
occasions on which they were alone together. If Doris could have had her
way, Granny Grimshaw would have been present at these also, but on this
point the old woman showed herself determined, not to say obstinate. She
maintained that her place was the kitchen, and that her presence was
absolutely necessary there, a point of view which no argument of
Doris's could persuade her to relinquish.

So she an