ased
with the progress which his short acquaintance was making.

Lacey shook hands with her again. "To-morrow at half-past one,
then--both of you!" she said. He turned away--was it reluctantly?--and
got into the cart. With wavings of hands and hats the two young men
drove off. Jenny stood looking after them.

"What brought you here?" I asked.

"The sight of those young men," answered Jenny, smiling. "May I come
into your house? Do you remember how I came in first?"

"I remember; we had parted forever in the afternoon."

"Things are generally like that. The people who seem transient stay, the
people who seem permanent go. I'm glad you seemed transient, Austin."
She was in my room now, thoughtfully looking round it as she talked.

"Lacey came here to ask whether you would like him to call."

"Of course I should like him to call."

"Against his father's wishes. Lord Fillingford did not forbid him to
come, but expressed his hope that the relations between the two houses
would be kept as distant as courtesy allowed. I told Lacey that, in view
of his father's wish, it would be better for him not to call. He said
he'd think it over. It was a question between loyalty to his father and
admiration of you."

"Admiration?" Jenny was listening with a slight smile.

"Rather, of your behavior--especially about Margaret. He's enthusiastic
about that--he thinks it splendidly brave. In case he decided against
calling, he wanted you to know that."

"He would have decided against it?"

"I can't tell. He meant to think it over."

"I came down just by accident. I was going for a stroll when I saw you.
And I came down on the chance--the chance of something amusing, Austin."
She frowned a little. "I don't think I much like Mr. Dormer."

"Rather a conceited fellow."

She broke into a smile again. "But he may come in very convenient."

"To his own profit and comfort?"

"I think conceited people must take the chance of that. They expose
themselves."

"To being robbed of their farms by deceitful wiles?"

"He'd get a very good price for his farms," said Jenny. I do not think
that her mind had been occupied with the question of the farms. She was
looking thoughtful again. "I don't think I quarrel with what Lord
Fillingford said," she added.

"Not unnatural perhaps."

"I've never had any quarrel with Lord Fillingford," she said slowly. "Or
only one--a woman's quarrel. He never fell in love with me. If he had,
perhaps--!" Sh