n the deer are
browsing on the hill-side to the left, as they are now. If you don't
want to go to sleep again, we'll walk up to the house. There's the
carriage. I can hear the wheels. The girls have gone down to fetch
your friend's bride. Mr Blake is very fond of his bride,--as I dare
say you have found out."

Then, as the two walked together to the house, Mr Hall explained
that there had been some little difference in years gone by between
old Mr Gordon and himself as to money. "I was very sorry, but I had
to look after myself. You knew nothing about it, I dare say."

"I have heard your name--that's all."

"I need not say anything more about it," said Mr Hall; "only when
I heard that you were in the country, I was very glad to have the
opportunity of seeing you. Blake tells me that you know my friend
Whittlestaff."

"I did not know him till yesterday morning."

"Then you know the young lady there; a charming young lady she is. My
girls are extremely fond of Mary Lawrie. I hope we may get them to
come over while you are staying here."

"I can only remain one night,--or at the most two, Mr Hall."

"Pooh, pooh! We have other places in the neighbourhood to show you
quite as pretty as Gar Wood. Though that's a bounce: I don't think
there is any morsel quite so choice as Gar Wood when the deer are
there. What an eye you must have, Mr Gordon, to have made it out by
yourself at once; but then, after all, it only put you to sleep. I
wonder whether the Rookery will put you to sleep. We go in this way,
so as to escape the formality of the front door, and I'll introduce
you to my daughters and Miss Forrester."

VOLUME II.

CHAPTER XIII.

AT LITTLE ALRESFORD.

Mr Hall was a pleasant English gentleman, now verging upon seventy
years of age, who had "never had a headache in his life," as he was
wont to boast, but who lived very carefully, as one who did not
intend to have many headaches. He certainly did not intend to make
his head ache by the cares of the work of the world. He was very well
off;--that is to say, that with so many thousands a year, he managed
to live upon half. This he had done for very many years, because
the estate was entailed on a distant relative, and because he had
not chosen to leave his children paupers. When the girls came he
immediately resolved that he would never go up to London,--and kept
his resolve. Not above once in three or four years was it supposed to
be necessary that he sh