act of flight, and she was beyond his vision.

CHAPTER VIII

Adela reached the house door at the very moment that Mutimer's trap
drove up. She had run nearly all the way down the hill, and her soberer
pace during the last ten minutes had not quite reduced the flush in her
cheeks. Mutimer raised his hat with much _aplomb_ before he had pulled
up his horse, and his look stayed on her whilst Alfred Waltham was
descending and taking leave.

'I was lucky enough to overtake your brother in Agworth,' he said.

'Ah, you have deprived him of what he calls his constitutional,' laughed
Adela.

'Have I? Well, it isn't often I'm here over Saturday, so he can
generally feel safe.'

The hat was again aired, and Richard drove away to the Wheatsheaf Inn,
where he kept his horse at present.

Brother and sister went together into the parlour, where Mrs. Waltham
immediately joined them, having descended from an upper room.

'So Mr. Mutimer drove you home!' she exclaimed, with the interest which
provincial ladies, lacking scope for their energies, will display in
very small incidents.

'Yes. By the way, I've asked him to come and have dinner with us
to-morrow. He hadn't any special reason for going to town, and was
uncertain whether to do so or not, so I thought I might as well have him
here.'

Mr. Alfred always spoke in a somewhat emphatic first person singular
when domestic arrangements were under, discussion; occasionally the
habit led to a passing unpleasantness of tone between himself and Mrs.
Waltham. In the present instance, however, nothing of the kind was to be
feared; his mother smiled very graciously.

'I'm glad you thought of it,' she said. 'It would have been very lonely
for him in his lodgings.'

Neither of the two happened to be regarding Adela, or they would have
seen a look of dismay flit across her countenance and pass into one of
annoyance. When the talk had gone on for a few minutes Adela interposed
a question.

'Will Mr. Mutimer stay for tea also, do you think, Alfred?'

'Oh, of course; why shouldn't he?'

It is the country habit; Adela might have known what answer she
would receive. She got out of the difficulty by means of a little
disingenuousness.

'He won't want us to talk about Socialism all the time, will he?'

'Of course not, my dear,' replied Mrs. Waltham. 'Why, it will be
Sunday.' 4

Alfred shouted in mirthful scorn.

'Well, that's one of the finest things I've heard for a lo