in the morning, just when Liz was
stepping into the first train at a wayside station many miles from
Bourhill.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XL.

THE MATRONS ADVISE.

'I think we had better go down and see what Gladys is about,' said Mrs.
Fordyce at the breakfast-table. 'Could you go down with me this
afternoon, Tom?'

'I daresay I could,' replied the lawyer. 'Surely we haven't heard
anything about her for a long time?'

'I should just think we hadn't,' said Mina, with energy. 'Perhaps by
this time she has gone off with somebody. We've shamefully neglected
her.'

'George hasn't been down either, Julia told me yesterday,' said Mrs.
Fordyce thoughtfully. 'There must have been a quarrel, girls. Did Gladys
say anything more before she went away that day?'

'Nothing; but they are both so proud, neither will give in first. I
certainly don't think, mother, that Gladys's feelings are very seriously
involved. She takes the whole thing very calmly.'

'George should not be too high and mighty at this early stage, my dear,'
said Mrs. Fordyce. 'He will find that Gladys has a mind of her own, and
will not be dictated to. All the same,' she added, with a faint sigh, 'I
admit that he was right to find fault with her having those girls at
Bourhill. Tom dear, I really think it is your duty, as guardian, to
interfere.'

'We can go down, anyhow, and see what she is about,' replied the lawyer;
and that afternoon, accordingly, they went out to Mauchline.

Not being expected, they had to hire from the hotel, and arrived just as
Gladys and Miss Peck were enjoying their afternoon tea. She was
unfeignedly glad to see them, and showed it in the very heartiness of
her welcome. It was somewhat of a relief to Mrs. Fordyce to find Gladys
alone with Miss Peck. She had quite expected to meet the objectionable
girls in the drawing-room, but there were no evidences of their presence
in the house at all, nor did Gladys allude to them in any way.

She had a thousand and one questions to ask about them all, and appeared
so affectionately interested in everything pertaining to the family,
that Mr. Fordyce could not forbear casting a rather triumphant glance at
his wife.

'As the mountain would not come to Mahomet, Mahomet has come to the
mountain,' he said in his good-natured way. 'You should have heard the
doleful conversation about you at breakfast this morning. Were your ears
not ringing?'

'No, I had something more serious to take