er, and who, by the way, seems to know
it, is seen to peer through window, and then to come to door, as if in
search of pretty girl. I say only, what does it mean?"

"Means a bit of sweethearting, apparently," said Trevor, laughing.
"Well, I suppose it's all right!"

"Not if the old lady catches them, perhaps; so let's go and talk to the
old lady."

Trevor shrugged his shoulders, and the couple walked back towards the
house, where Mrs Lloyd was standing, evidently fidgeted about something
or another.

"I tell you she must have gone out," she was saying as they came up.

But just at that moment the sound of carriage wheels was heard, and the
waggonette drew up at the door with Vanleigh and Landells.

"Jove!" said the latter, "what out-of-the-way place, Trevor. Thought
never get here."

A sharp sniff drew his attention to Mrs Lloyd, who stood with her
husband just inside the door.

"Not bad," said Vanleigh, superciliously.

"Ah, you'll like it when you've been down a day or two," said Trevor.
"I'm heartily glad to see you both."

"Thanks," said Vanleigh, as his host led the way into the hall. "Ah,
quite mediaeval."

"Mrs Lloyd, you've got the oak room ready for Captain Vanleigh?" said
Trevor.

"No, Master Dick, I've ordered the blue room for him."

Trevor's brow clouded, but he only bit his lip.

"Then you've arranged that Sir Felix shall have the oak room?"

"No, Master--sir," she said, correcting herself in a very stately way,
"Sir Felix will sleep in the chintz chamber."

Trevor flushed, but he turned it off lightly.

"These are our old butler and housekeeper, Vanleigh," he said. "Mrs
Lloyd there was almost like a mother to me as a child."

"Indeed," said Vanleigh, superciliously; and Sir Felix fixed his glass
and had a good stare at the old lady, who looked every whit the mistress
of the house.

"Grey mare?" he said, in a whisper.

"Old favoured servants," said Trevor, in return; and the young men
walked into the drawing-room.

"Don't stand staring there," said Mrs Lloyd, fiercely, to the footman;
"take up these portmantees."

The man gave her a surly look.

"He'll go to ruin, that he will," said Mrs Lloyd, in a voice of
suppressed anger, to her husband, as soon as they were alone; "and there
you stand without a word to say for yourself."

"Well, what can I do, my dear?" said Lloyd, feebly.

"Nothing--nothing; what you have always done--nothing. But I'll stop it
soon. I won't be