hat I have been unable to prevail on her to disclose."

"I am quite sure that Miss Dymmock would be actuated by no reason but a
good one," Chermside replied politely. "I will wager that she had
received strong provocation, and that the castigation I was privileged
to witness was thoroughly deserved."

The little old lady, who was rapidly regaining her temper, cast a
grateful glance at the speaker. At the commencement of their as yet
short acquaintance she had taken a genuine liking for the handsome young
soldier, and she had the firmest faith in her intuitions. Miss Sarah
Dymmock was a personage to be reckoned with in the Maynard household.
The aunt of Violet's mother, Montague Maynard's late wife, she had
brought the girl up from childhood, and had incidentally governed the
screw manufacturer's establishment with a rod of iron. Having a large
fortune in her own right, and being suspected of a carefully-veiled
kindness, her many eccentricities were forgiven her by those who knew
her best.

"That's right, Mr. Chermside; I like a man who can stick up for an ugly
old woman," she chuckled. "It's a pity a gallant gentleman of your sort
didn't come my way when I was a lass, for I might have been a
great-grandmother, instead of only great-aunt, to an impudent chit of a
girl who has no respect for age--and venerableness. Well, I am
venerable, ain't I?" she added, stopping and stamping her foot at
Violet's merry laugh.

"Oh, yes, dearest Auntie; you are more than that--you are truly
terrible at times," said the girl.

"I mean to be," Miss Dymmock continued austerely, resuming her progress.
"As to my reason for chasing that monkey-faced Frenchy out of the
grounds, I shall say nothing--nothing at all till I have laid the facts
before Mr. Travers Nugent, who is, I believe, to join us at lunch. I
don't like Travers Nugent, mind you. But he is a man of the world, and I
value his opinion as such. Personally, I wouldn't trust him with a
shilling."

This was evidently the old lady's last word on the subject, but the
rather awkward silence that ensued was due chiefly to the manner of her
allusion to Nugent. Violet was rendered uncomfortable by her outspoken
bluntness, because she knew that Leslie Chermside owed his presence
amongst them to the introduction he had brought from the man so openly
disparaged. And Leslie was ill at ease from the immediate prospect of
having to meet one whom he had hitherto regarded as his partner in
i