have to postpone me, too,' said Rollo. 'I must go.
Shall I come for you at four o'clock? It will be too hot, I am
afraid, before; and we have a good way to go.'

CHAPTER XXIX.

JEANNIE DEANS.

It wanted some time of four o'clock yet, when Miss Kennedy
came quietly into Mr. Falkirk's study and sat down by the
window.

'Are you at leisure, sir?' she said, intertwining her fingers
in a careless sort of way among the vines that hung there.

'My dear, I have been at leisure so long that I wish I could
say I was busy. But I am not busy. What is it, Miss Hazel?'

'Only a few business questions, sir,' she said, attending to
the vines. 'Will you let me ride with Major Seaton on
Thursday?'

'Would you like to go with him?'

'I always like to ride, sir.'

'You have not a horse yet, my dear; that is a difficulty. I do
not know this Major Seaton's horses--nor himself.'

'Quite reliable, sir--according to him. Will you let me ride
with Mr. Rollo this afternoon?'

'I suppose there is no good reason to be assigned against
that,' said Mr. Falkirk, rather growingly, and after a pause.
It sounded a little as if he would have liked it if the fact
had been otherwise.

'You consider Wednesday a more safe day than Thursday, sir?'

'I am not superstitious, Miss Hazel. The only thing I ever was
in fear of is enchantment!'

'Well sir,--you have doubtless studied the case enough to know
which is the more "enchanting" of the two,' said Miss Hazel,
daringly. 'Shall I give Mr. May a ride on Friday?'

'Will you have a horse on Friday?'

'My horse seems to be a slow one, by the time it takes him to
come,' said Wych Hazel. 'Will he be here this afternoon, Mr.
Falkirk?'

'I suppose Rollo will see to that,' said Mr. Falkirk,
beginning to turn about some papers that were on the table.

'Yes, sir,' said his ward, with her small fingers still
playing among the vines; 'I suppose he will. It is rather Mr.
Rollo's style. But that makes it slightly awkward for me, Mr.
Falkirk.'

'In what respect, Miss Hazel?'

'Most of these other gentlemen think themselves qualified to
"see to" so small a consignment as myself; and not being
posted as to your scale of enchantment and danger, may feel it
the reverse of a compliment to meet me riding with Mr. Rollo,
on his horse.'

'Well, my dear, what do you wish me to do in the matter? You
are not obliged to go with Rollo, that I know of. Do you wish
to compliment these other small fry?'