daresay you've forgotten it; and I couldn't tell then that Mr
Hall was acquainted with you, or that he would be so anxious to be
hospitable. He says that I'm to tell you to take your bag up to the
house at once. There never was anything more civil than that. Of
course I let him know that we had been at Oxford together. That does
go for something."

"The university and your society together," suggested Gordon.

"Don't chaff, because I'm in earnest. Kattie Forrester will be in by
the very train that was to take you on to London, and I'm to wait
and put her into Mr Hall's carriage. One of the daughters, I don't
doubt, will be there, and you can wait and see her if you like it. If
you'll get your bag ready, the coachman will take it with Kattie's
luggage. There's the Park carriage coming down the street now. I'll
go out and stop old Steadypace the coachman; only don't you keep him
long, because I shouldn't like Kattie to find that there was no one
to look after her at the station."

There seemed to be an opening in all this for John Gordon to remain
at any rate a day longer in the neighbourhood of Mary Lawrie, and
he determined that he would avail himself of the opportunity. He
therefore, together with his friend Blake, saw the coachman, and
gave instructions as to finding the bag at the station, and prepared
himself to walk out to the Park. "You can go down to the station," he
said to Blake, "and can ride back with the carriage."

"Of course I shall see you up at the house," said Blake. "Indeed I've
been asked to stay there whilst Kattie is with them. Nothing can be
more hospitable than Mr Hall and his four daughters. I'd give you
some advice, only I really don't know which you'd like the best.
There is a sort of similarity about them; but that wears off when you
come to know them. I have heard people say that the two eldest are
very much alike. If that be so, perhaps you'll like the third the
best. The third is the nicest, as her hair may be a shade darker than
the others. I really must be off now, as I wouldn't for worlds that
the train should come in before I'm on the platform." With that he
went into the yard, and at once trotted off on his cob.

Gordon paid his bill, and started on his walk to Little Alresford
Park. Looking back into his early memories, he could just remember to
have heard his father speak of Mr Hall. But that was all. His father
was now dead, and, certainly, he thought, had not mentioned the
n