not at all impressed.

"How you exaggerate!" she said. "Well what happened when he came in
and caught you? The poor man! I suppose, he thought you were setting
the house on fire."

"My dear, I turned as red as a poppy and began blowing out all my
illumination, feeling dreadfully guilty, and then he helped me off my
chair with such an air of politeness that I could have struck him with
pleasure, but I soon gathered my wits again. And, vexed with myself
for being a ninny, I just dropped him a little curtsey and said, 'I've
been examining my mad cousin.' 'Well, and what do you think of him?'
he asked me, smiling (his abominable smile!). But I can keep my
thoughts to myself as well as other people. 'I think he is very
handsome,' I answered, and then I wagged my head and added, 'Poor
fellow,' just as if I thought he was really mad. 'Poor fellow!' said
cousin Rupert, still with his smile. Whereupon we interchanged
good-nights, and he ceremoniously reconducted me to my door. What was
he spying after me for, like that? My dear, your cousin has a bad
conscience.--But I can spy too--I have been questioning the servants
to-day, and some of the people on the estate."

"Oh, Molly!"

"Come, don't be so shocked. It was diplomatically, of course, but I am
determined to find out the truth. Well, so far from looking upon Sir
Adrian as a lunatic, they all adore him, it seems to me. He comes here
periodically--once every three months or so--and it is like the King's
Justices, you know--St. Louis of France--he redresses all wrongs, and
listens to grievances and gives alms and counsel, and every one can
come with his story, down to the poorest wretch on the estate, and
they certainly gave me to understand that they would fare pretty
hardly under Mr. Landale if it were not for that mild beneficent
restraining influence in his tower yonder. It is very romantic, do you
know (you like romance, Madeleine). I wonder if Sir Adrian will come
over while we are here. Oh, I hope, I hope he will. I shall never rest
till I have seen him."

"Silly child," said Madeleine, "and so that is the reason you are glad
to remain here?"

"Even so, my dear," answered the other, skipped into the big four-post
bed, carefully ascertained and selected the softest pillow, and then,
smiling sweetly at her sister from under a frame of dark curls, let
her white lids drop over the lustre of her eyes and so intimated she
desired to sleep.

CHAPTER XIV

THE T