are of those
deceptive people who bide their time and bring into domestic life the
diplomatic policy of speaking on suitable occasions only. He came
down-stairs that morning very well pleased with himself; he felt that
he had vindicated the rights of man yesterday; this conclusion was
arrived at by a rather circuitous route, but it was gratifying; it was
also gratifying to think that he had been able to enjoy himself
without being found out. But Julia soon set him right on this last
point; she did not reproach him or, as Mrs. Polkington would have
done, point out the disgrace he would bring upon them; she only told
him that it must not occur again. She also explained that, while he
lived in her house, she had a right to dictate in these matters and,
what was more, she was going to do so.

At this the Captain was really hurt; his feeling for dignity was very
sensitive, though given to manifesting itself in unusual ways. "Am I
to be dependent for the rest of my days?" he asked.

Julia did not answer; she thought it highly probable.

"Am I to be dictated to at every turn?" he went on.

Julia did answer. "No," she said; "I don't think there will be any
need for that."

Captain Polkington paid no attention to the answer; he was standing
before the kitchen fire, apostrophising things in general rather than
asking questions.

"Are my goings out and comings in to be limited by my daughter? Am I
to ask her permission before I accept hospitality or make friends?"

"Friends?" said Julia. "Then it was not 'The Dog and Pheasant' you
went to, yesterday? I thought not."

"Then you thought wrong," her father retorted incautiously; "I did go
there."

"To begin with," Julia suggested; "but you came across some one, and
went on--is that it?"

The Captain denied it, but he had not his wife's and daughters' gifts;
his lies were always of the cowardly and uninspired kind that seldom
serve any purpose. Julia did not believe him, and set to work cross
questioning him so that soon she knew what she wanted. It seemed that
her surmise was correct; he had met some one at the "Dog and
Pheasant"; a veterinary surgeon who had come there to doctor a horse.
They had struck up an acquaintance--the Captain had the family gift
for that--and the surgeon had asked him to come to his house on the
other side of Halgrave.

When the information reached this point Julia said suavely, but with
meaning: "Perhaps you had better not go there again."