ce
before he stopped to knock a phenomenal ash off his cigar. Then he
spoke, and what he said was "Pooh!"

The story does not know why he said "Pooh!" It merely notes, apropos of
Miss Dickenson's last words, that the first person plural pronoun, used
as a dual by a lady to a gentleman, sometimes makes hay of the thirdness
of their respective persons singular. But if it had done so, this time,
"Pooh!" was a weak counter-blast against its influence.

* * * * *

Irene's friend Gretchen von Trendelenstein had written that morning that
she was coming to stay with the Mackworth Clarkes at Toft, only a couple
of miles off. She would only have two days, and could not hope to get as
far as Pensham, but couldn't Irene come to _her_? She was, you see,
Irene's bosom friend. The letter had gone to Pensham and been forwarded,
losing time. This was the last day of visiting-possibility at Toft. So
Irene asked to be taken there; and, if she stayed, would find her way
back somehow. Mr. Norbury, however, after referring to Archibald, the
head of the stables, made _dernier ressorts_ needless, and Irene was
driven away behind a spirited horse by the young groom, Tom Kettering.

Her brother would have devolved entirely on Mrs. Bailey and chance
visitors, if he had not struck vigorously against confinement to his
room, after a recovery of strength sufficient to warrant his removal to
his home eighteen miles away. If he was strong enough for that, he was
strong enough for an easy flight of stairs, down and up, with tea
between. Mrs. Bailey, the only obstacle, was overruled. Indeed, that
good woman was an anachronism by now, her only remaining function being
such succour as a newly blinded man wants till he gets used to his
blindness. Tonics and stimulants were coming to an end, and her
professional extinction was to follow. Nevertheless, Mr. Torrens held
fast to dining in solitude until he recovered his eyesight, or at least
until he had become more dexterous without it.

Now, it happened that on this day of all others three attractive events
came all at once--the Flower Show at Brainley Thorpe, the Sadleigh
Races, and a big Agricultural Meeting at King's Grantham, where the
County Members were to address constituents. The Countess had promised
to open the first, and the absence of the Earl from the second would
have been looked upon as a calamity. All the male non-coronetted members
of the company of mature