at joy to them, and of hideous anxiety to the rest of us."

"Of course, of course," assented Mrs. Walker. "Ah, there are the dear
little boys. Won't you come and give me a kiss, darling?"

"Darling" did what was required in a business-like manner, and stood by,
while the lady discovered in him a speaking likeness to his parents, to
his Aunt Algitha and his Uncle Fred, not to mention the portrait of his
great-grandfather, the Solicitor-General, that hung in the dining-room.
The child seemed thoroughly accustomed to be thought the living image of
various relations, and he waited indifferently till the list was ended.

"Do you know, we are half hoping that Professor Fortescue may be able to
come to us for a week or ten days?" said Lady Engleton. "We are so
looking forward to it."

"Professor Fortescue is always a favourite," remarked Mrs. Walker. "It
is such a pity he does not return to the Priory, is it not?--a great
house like that standing empty. Of course it is very natural after the
dreadful event that happened there"--Mrs. Walker lowered her voice
discreetly--"but it seems a sin to leave the place untenanted."

Lady Engleton explained that there was some prospect of the house being
let at last to a friend and colleague of the Professor. Mrs. Walker
doubtless would remember Professor Theobald, who used to come and stay
at Craddock Place rather frequently some years ago, a big man with beard
and moustache, very learned and very amusing.

Mrs. Walker remembered him perfectly. Her husband had been so much
interested in his descriptions of a tour in Palestine, all through the
scenes of the New Testament. He was a great archaeologist. Was he really
coming to the Priory? How very delightful. John would be so glad to hear
it.

"Oh, it is not settled yet, but the two Professors are coming to us some
time soon, I believe, and Professor Theobald will look over the house
and see if he thinks it would be too unmanageably big for himself and
his old mother and sister. I hope he will take the place. He would bring
a new and interesting element into the village. What do you think of it,
Mrs. Temperley?"

"Oh, I hope the learned and amusing Professor will come," she said. "The
worst of it is, from my point of view, that I shall have to give up my
practices there. Professor Fortescue allows me to wake the old piano
from its long slumbers in the drawing-room."

"Oh, of course. Marion Jordan was telling me that she was quite st