"I don't know how this quarrel came up," exclaimed Priscilla, "and
I don't care to know. But it seems a trumpery quarrel,--as to who
should beg each other's pardon first, and all that kind of thing.
Sheer and simple nonsense! Ask him to let it all be forgotten. I
suppose he loves you?"

"How can I know? He did once."

"And you love him?"

"Yes. I love him certainly."

"I don't see how you can have a doubt. Here is Jack with the
carriage, and if we don't mind he'll pass us by without seeing us."

Then Mrs. Trevelyan got up, and when they had succeeded in diverting
Jack's attention for a moment from the horse, they called to Nora,
who was still moving about from one knoll to another, and who showed
no desire to abandon the contemplations in which she had been
engaged.

It had been mid-day before they left home in the morning, and they
were due to be at home in time for tea,--which is an epoch in the
day generally allowed to be more elastic than some others. When Mrs.
Stanbury lived in the cottage her hour for tea had been six; this had
been stretched to half-past seven when she received Mrs. Trevelyan at
the Clock House; and it was half-past eight before Jack landed them
at their door. It was manifest to them all as they entered the house
that there was an air of mystery in the face of the girl who had
opened the door for them. She did not speak, however, till they were
all within the passage. Then she uttered a few words very solemnly.
"There be a gentleman come," she said.

"A gentleman!" said Mrs. Trevelyan, thinking in the first moment of
her husband, and in the second of Colonel Osborne.

"He be for you, miss," said the girl, bobbing her head at Nora.

Upon hearing this Nora sank speechless into the chair which stood in
the passage.

CHAPTER XVII.

A GENTLEMAN COMES TO NUNCOMBE PUTNEY.

It soon became known to them all as they remained clustered in the
hall that Mr. Glascock was in the house. Mrs. Stanbury came out to
them and informed them that he had been at Nuncombe Putney for the
last five hours, and that he had asked for Mrs. Trevelyan when he
called. It became evident as the affairs of the evening went on, that
Mrs. Stanbury had for a few minutes been thrown into a terrible state
of amazement, thinking that "the Colonel" had appeared. The strange
gentleman, however, having obtained admittance, explained who he was,
saying that he was very desirous of seeing Mrs. Trevelyan,--and Miss
R