nds against a glove that they
knew more than I did. Was I aware that Dumfries meant "fort in the thorn
bushes?" Had I learned that the British Christian chief, who was the
real King Arthur, fought with pagan Saxons all along the Nith. Did I
know it was in Grayfriars, or the Minories Church, that Bruce killed the
Red Comyn, Devorgilla's grandson?

They won the glove; and then there was a scene when they took a penknife
and cut it up in four pieces, one for each man. I tried to keep them
from being so foolish, but might as well have tried to stop the wind
from blowing; and it was no wonder that Mrs. West turned her back on us
rather than see those dreadful boys ostentatiously stowing away the bits
of gray kid in what Jack Morrison called their "heart-pockets."

I was afraid Sir S. might think it was my fault, their coming to stay at
the pretty hotel he'd chosen for us because it overlooked the river; but
it wasn't a bit. It was just as much a coincidence as Mrs. West and
Basil finding three Canadian friends already there--perhaps even _more_
of a coincidence; for it didn't seem to me that Mrs. West was really
astonished at finding these people at a Dumfries hotel, or they at
finding her and Basil. I was there when they met in the hall: two rather
handsome dark men, brothers, named Vanneck, and the fair, thin little
wife of the younger one. All they said at first was, "Well, this _is_
nice! How do you do?" And it struck me afterward, when I thought it
over, that if it had been a great surprise, they would have mentioned
it. I wondered if they hadn't corresponded and arranged it somehow, for
they appeared to know each other very well, and to be the best of
friends, especially the elder Mr. Vanneck and Mrs. West, who called each
other "Aline" and "George." After dinner it turned out that she had been
inviting the Vannecks to go on to Melrose and Edinburgh in Old
Blunderbore, without consulting the chauffeur-owner of the car. He
thought the load, with extra luggage, too heavy for Blunderbore's
powers; consequently Mrs. West threw herself on the mercy of Sir S. She
asked if the Gray Dragon could take Basil, and the Gray Dragon's master
quietly said yes.

After Mrs. West had walked with Sir S. in the churchyard of St.
Michael's, he seemed very thoughtful and a little gloomy, even stiff in
his manner with me. At first I felt it must be that she had said
something to change him toward me, but again I told myself that that was