ntal
either, liked all this even while it affronted her vanity.

"Send the gig home and stay and talk," she commanded, as he stopped by
her on the road; he was returning from Blentmouth to Mingham and found
her strolling by the Pool. "I want to speak to you."

He had his bailiff with him--they had been selling a cow--and left him
to take the gig home. He shook hands with frank cordiality.

"That's awfully nice of you," he said. "What about?"

"Nothing in particular," said she. "Mayn't I want it just generally?"

"Oh, well, I thought you meant there was something special. I've sold
the cow well, Miss Janie."

"Bother the cow! Why haven't you been to Fairholme?"

"Well, in fact, I'm not sure that Mr Iver is death on seeing me there
too often. But I shall turn up all right soon."

"Have you been going about anywhere?"

"No. Been up at Mingham most of the time."

"Isn't that rather lonely?"

"Lonely? Good Heavens, no! I've got too much to do."

Janie glanced at him; what was to be done with a man who treated
provocative suggestions as though they were sincere questions? If he had
not cared for her now! But she knew he did.

"Well, I've been very dull, anyhow. One never sees anybody fresh at
Fairholme now. It's always either Mr. Tristram or Major Duplay."

"Well, I shouldn't be very fresh either, should I?" The names she
mentioned drew no sign from him.

"I don't count you as a visitor at all--and they are visitors, I
suppose." She seemed a little in doubt; yet both the gentlemen, at any
rate, were not presumably received as members of the family.

"I'll tell you what I've been thinking about," said Bob, speaking
slowly, and apparently approaching a momentous announcement.

"Yes," she said, turning to him with interest, and watching his handsome
open face; it was not a very clever face, but it was a very pleasant
one; she enjoyed looking at it.

"I've been thinking that I'll sell the black horse, but I can't make up
my mind whether to do it now or keep him through the summer and sell him
when hunting begins. I don't know which would pay me best."

"That certainly is a very important question," remarked Janie, with a
wealth of sarcasm.

"Well, it gives me a lot of trouble, Miss Janie."

"Does it? And it doesn't interest me in the very--Yes, it does, Bob,
very much. I'm sorry. Of course it does. Only----"

"Anything the matter with you?" Bob inquired with friendly solicitude.

"No--not just now. The