-keepers' lodges across
the mountains or to be mousing about the woods with wardens and
foresters, camping where convenient; or to start for New York without
explanation. All of which activity annoyed Portlaw, who missed his
manager at table and at cards--missed his nimble humour, his impudence,
his casual malice--missed even the paternal toleration which this
younger man bestowed upon him--a sort of half-tolerant,
half-contemptuous supervision.

And now that Malcourt was so often absent Portlaw was surprised to find
how much he missed the veiled authority exercised--how dependent on it
he had become, how secretly agreeable had been the half-mocking
discipline which relieved him of any responsibility except as over-lord
of the culinary regime.

Like a spoiled school-lad, badly brought up, he sometimes defied
Malcourt's authority--as in the matter of the dam--enjoying his own
perversity. But he always got into hot water and was glad enough to
return to safety.

Even now, though his truancy had landed him in a very lively lawsuit, he
was glad enough to slink back through the stinging comments to the
security of authority; and his bellows of exasperation under reproof
were half pretence. He expected Malcourt to get him out of it if he
could not extract himself; he had no idea of defending the suit. Besides
there was sufficient vanity in him to rely on a personal meeting with
Mrs. Ascott. But he laughed in his sleeve at the idea of the necessity
of making love to her.

And one day when Hamil was out for the third or fourth time, walking
about the drives and lawns in the sunshine, and Malcourt was not in
sight, Portlaw called for his riding-breeches and boots.

He had not been on a horse in years and it seemed as though only faith
and a shoe-horn could get him into his riding-breeches; but with the aid
of Heaven and a powerful valet he stood before his mirror arrayed at
last; and presently went out across the lawn and through the grove to
Malcourt's house.

Young Mrs. Malcourt in pink gingham apron and sun-bonnet was digging
with a trowel in her garden when he appeared upon the landscape.

"I don't want you to tell Louis," he cautioned her with a very knowing
and subtle smile, "but I'm just going to ride over to Pride's this
morning and settle this lawsuit matter, and surprise him."

Shiela had straightened up, trowel in her gloved hand, and now stood
looking at him in amused surprise.

"I didn't know you rode,"