uld have made
an exhibition of myself, and Rupert would not have liked that. He--the
little beast! might have seen from the very dress that the dear girl wore
that there was something exceptional about her. But on one account I
should have liked to see her. They tell me that she was, in her true
dignity, like a Queen, and that her humility in receiving her husband's
kinsman was a lesson to every woman in the Land. I must be careful not
to let Rupert know that I have heard of the incident. Later on, when it
is all blown over and the young man has been got safely away, I shall
tell him of it. Mr. Rooke--Lord High Admiral Rooke, I should say--must
be a really wonderful man to have so held himself in check; for, from
what I have heard of him, he must in his younger days have been worse
than Old Morgan of Panama. Mr. Ernest Roger Halbard Melton, of Humcroft,
Salop, little knows how near he was to being "cleft to the chine" also.

Fortunately, I had heard of his meeting with Teuta before he came to see
me, for I did not get back from my walk till after he had arrived.
Teuta's noble example was before me, and I determined that I, too, would
show good manners under any circumstances. But I didn't know how mean he
is. Think of his saying to me that Rupert's position here must be a
great source of pride to me, who had been his nursery governess. He said
"nursemaid" first, but then stumbled in his words, seeming to remember
something. I did not turn a hair, I am glad to say. It is a mercy Uncle
Colin was not here, for I honestly believe that, if he had been, he would
have done the "cleaving to the chine" himself. It has been a narrow
escape for Master Ernest, for only this morning Rupert had a message,
sent on from Gibraltar, saying that he was arriving with his clansmen,
and that they would not be far behind his letter. He would call at
Otranto in case someone should come across to pilot him to Vissarion.
Uncle told me all about that young cad having offered him one finger in
Mr. Trent's office, though, of course, he didn't let the cad see that he
noticed it. I have no doubt that, when he does arrive, that young man,
if he is here still, will find that he will have to behave himself, if it
be only on Sir Colin's account alone.

THE SAME (LATER).

I had hardly finished writing when the lookout on the tower announced
that the _Teuta_, as Rupert calls his aeroplane, was sighted crossing the
mountains from Plaz