oduced him, and rather inclined to be surly and quarrelsome than
pleasant or agreeable.

Lady Tintern had not taken such a boy's attentions to her grand-niece
seriously; but if Sarah were taking them seriously, she thought she
had better inquire into the matter at once. Therefore the energetic
old woman not only arrived unexpectedly at Hewelscourt in the middle
of luncheon, but routed her niece off her sofa early in the afternoon,
and proposed that she should immediately cross the river and call upon
Peter's mother.

"I have never seen the place except from these windows; perhaps I am
underrating it," said Lady Tintern. "I've never met Lady Mary Crewys,
though I know all the Setouns that ever were born. Never mind who
ought to call on me first! What do I care for such nonsense? The boy
is a cub and a bear--_that_ I know--since he stayed in my house for a
fortnight, and never spoke to me if he could possibly help it. He is a
nobody! Sir Peter Fiddlesticks! Who ever heard of him or his family, I
should like to know, outside this ridiculous place? His name is spelt
wrong! Of course I have heard of Crewys, K.C. Everybody has heard of
him. That has nothing to do with it. Yes, I know the young man did
well in South Africa. All our young men did well in South Africa.
Pray, is Sarah to marry them all? If _that_ is what she is after, the
sooner I take it in hand the better. Lunching by herself on the moors
indeed! No; I am not at all afraid of the ferry, Emily. If you are, I
will go alone, or take your good man."

"The colonel is out shooting, as you know, and won't be back till
tea-time," said Mrs. Hewel, becoming more and more flurried under this
torrent of lively scolding.

"The colonel! Why don't you say Tom? Colonel indeed!" said Lady
Tintern. "Very well, I shall go alone."

But this Mrs. Hewel would by no means allow. She reluctantly abandoned
the effort to dissuade her aunt, put on her visiting things with as
much speed as was possible to her, and finally accompanied her across
the river to pay the proposed visit to Barracombe House.

Lady Mary received her visitors in the banqueting hall, an apartment
which excited Lady Tintern's warmest approval. The old lady dated the
oak carving in the hall, and in the yet more ancient library; named
the artists of the various pictures; criticized the ceilings, and
praised the windows.

Mrs. Hewel feared her outspokenness would offend Lady Mary, but she
could perceive only pl