I thought necessary! I think I made up quite a moving
story. Sir John listened attentively. Said he had the greatest possible
respect for Squire Lorrimer; that it gave him considerable pain to feel
that _parvenus_, like the Drummonds should reside at the Towers; but he
said, further, that he could not quite tell how he was to interfere."

"Oh, I dare say!" answered Antonia. "I know enough of him to be certain
that every step of the path to the rescue must be made clear by others.
Did he give you to understand, mother, that he would be willing to help
Squire Lorrimer if the occasion arose?"

"Well, my dear, I gathered that he would not be averse to doing so; but,
really, the matter is one of extreme delicacy, and one which it is quite
impossible for me to say much about."

"But I have not the least objection to talking about it," said Antonia.
"It is one of my failings not to feel delicacy except with regard to
art. I can talk to him if you like. I should recommend extreme
bluntness. These obtuse people never see things unless they are put
right up in front of their eyes."

"Really, Antonia, in addition to being eccentric, you are now becoming
positively vulgar. What have I done to be afflicted with a daughter like
you? I beg and beseech of you not to say a word to Sir John on the
subject."

"All right, mother, I won't, if you will promise without fail to return
to London to-morrow."

"Oh, dear, dear, it will be most inconvenient."

"But you'll come?"

"I--really----"

"I see Sir John in the distance; he is smoking a cigarette, which will
soothe him while I talk. If I talk to him, you needn't go to London so
soon. Which shall it be?"

"Oh, London, London--anything better than that you should worry poor Sir
John. Was there ever a woman so worried? You had better send Pinkerton
to me."

"That's a good mother," said Antonia, bestowing one of her rare and
wonderfully sweet smiles upon her parent. She rushed away to the house
in her headlong style; met Hester in one of the corridors; stopped her
to exclaim, "Cheer up, Hetty, the incubus is leaving by the first train
in the morning," and then finding Pinkerton, despatched her for orders
to Mrs. Bernard Temple.

A few moments later, Antonia had forced her way into Susy's presence.

"Mother and I leave to-morrow," she said. "I don't know if you feel
inclined to stay here much longer?"

"I? No, I'm sure I don't," answered Susy. "I am sick of the place; they
ar