intment as the
thought crossed my mind that the family was away, but reassurance
succeeded in the shape of a large white dog, which came rushing
furiously down the path, barking in right threatening fashion--only to
change into little whines of delight and greeting as it recognised me.
This was a factor in the Sewin household which I have hitherto omitted
to introduce. He was one of the Campagna breed of sheep herding dogs,
and was Aida's especial property, she having discovered him as a puppy
during a tour in Italy. He was a remarkably handsome beast, pure white,
and was of the size and strength of a wolf, to which he bore a strong
family likeness. He had honoured me with his friendship from the very
first--a mark of favour which he was by no means wont to bestow upon
everybody, as his mistress was careful to point out.

"Well, Arlo, old chap. Where are they all?" I said, as the dog trotted
before my horse, turning to look back with an occasional friendly whine.
As I drew rein in front of the stoep Falkner came forth, looking very
handsome and athletic in his snowy linen suit, for it was hot.

"Hallo Glanton, glad to see you," he said, quite cordially, but in
rather a subdued tone for him. "Come round and off-saddle. They'll be
out in a minute, they're having prayers, you know. I slipped out when I
heard your horse."

It was Sunday, and the Major, I remembered, made a point of reading the
church service on that day: in the middle of which I had arrived.

"Tell you what, old chap," he went on. "I'm rather glad of the excuse.
Beastly bore that sort of thing, don't you know, but the old people
wouldn't like it if I were to cut."

"Only the old people?" I said.

"No, the whole bilin' of 'em. Life wouldn't be worth living for the
rest of the day if I didn't cut in. So I do--just to please them all.
See? Well, we'll go and smoke a pipe till they come out."

Falkner had pulled out quite a genial stop to play upon for my benefit--
but then, I had agreed to take him with me on the trip. On the subject
of which he now waxed eloquent. Would we certainly be on the road by
Wednesday, and was there anything he could do, and so forth? I was able
to reassure him abundantly on these points, and his exuberant delight
was like that of a schoolboy on the eve of the holidays, causing me to
think to myself rather sadly, that were I in his shoes, with a home like
this, and the society of sweet, refined English ladies f