ride, and it was nearly dusk when at last they arrived at
Cromarty Manor.

An old servant came out from the Porter's Lodge to open the high iron
gates for them.

He gave them a warm greeting, which seemed a heart-felt welcome, and not
merely the speech of a paid dependant, and then they drove on toward the
house.

The whole effect was so beautiful that it almost took Patty's breath
away. It was not a bit like Herenden Hall, it was more like an old feudal
castle. The picturesque house was of gray stone, with towers and turrets
almost entirely covered with ivy. From the ivy the birds flew in and out,
and the darkness of the surrounding trees and tall shrubbery gave the
place a weird and fairly mysterious appearance.

"You feel the charm of it, don't you?" said Mrs. Hartley, kindly, as she
looked at Patty's rapt face and serious eyes.

"Yes, indeed," said Patty, softly; "I can't explain it, but it casts a
spell over me. Oh, I don't wonder you love it!"

But the darkness of the outer world was soon dispelled by a broad gleam
of light, as the great front doors were thrown open. An old, gray-haired
butler stood on the threshold, and greeted them with rather pompous
respect and punctilious deference. The interior was quite in keeping with
the outside view of the house. But though the old carved rafters and
wainscoting were dark and heavy, cheerful lamps were in abundance, and in
the halls and drawing-rooms, wax candles were lighted also.

At the first view on entering there seemed to be an interminable vista of
rooms, that opened one from another; this was partly the effect of the
elaborate old architecture, and partly because of many long mirrors in
various positions.

The furniture, tapestries and ornaments were all of an epoch two
centuries back, and the whole picture fascinated Patty beyond all words.

"It's a wonderful place," she said at last; "and after a week or two, I'm
going to examine it in detail. But at first I shall be satisfied just to
bask in its atmosphere."

"You'll do!" cried Bob, who had just arrived. "If you hadn't appreciated
Cromarty, we were going to pack you straight back to London; but you've
acquitted yourself nobly. Nobody could make a better speech than you did,
and I'll wager you didn't learn it beforehand either."

"I couldn't," said Patty, "because I didn't know what the place was like.
What few remarks you made about it seem like nothing, now that I've begun
to see it for myself."