awkward, certainly.'

'I should hardly think he would come to-day.'

'Why?'

'Because the wind blows so.'

'Wind! What ideas you have, Elfride! Who ever heard of wind stopping a
man from doing his business? The idea of this toe of mine coming on so
suddenly!...If he should come, you must send him up to me, I suppose,
and then give him some food and put him to bed in some way. Dear me,
what a nuisance all this is!'

'Must he have dinner?'

'Too heavy for a tired man at the end of a tedious journey.'

'Tea, then?'

'Not substantial enough.'

'High tea, then? There is cold fowl, rabbit-pie, some pasties, and
things of that kind.'

'Yes, high tea.'

'Must I pour out his tea, papa?'

'Of course; you are the mistress of the house.'

'What! sit there all the time with a stranger, just as if I knew him,
and not anybody to introduce us?'

'Nonsense, child, about introducing; you know better than that. A
practical professional man, tired and hungry, who has been travelling
ever since daylight this morning, will hardly be inclined to talk and
air courtesies to-night. He wants food and shelter, and you must see
that he has it, simply because I am suddenly laid up and cannot. There
is nothing so dreadful in that, I hope? You get all kinds of stuff into
your head from reading so many of those novels.'

'Oh no; there is nothing dreadful in it when it becomes plainly a case
of necessity like this. But, you see, you are always there when people
come to dinner, even if we know them; and this is some strange London
man of the world, who will think it odd, perhaps.'

'Very well; let him.'

'Is he Mr. Hewby's partner?'

'I should scarcely think so: he may be.'

'How old is he, I wonder?'

'That I cannot tell. You will find the copy of my letter to Mr. Hewby,
and his answer, upon the table in the study. You may read them, and then
you'll know as much as I do about our visitor.'

'I have read them.'

'Well, what's the use of asking questions, then? They contain all I
know. Ugh-h-h!...Od plague you, you young scamp! don't put anything
there! I can't bear the weight of a fly.'

'Oh, I am sorry, papa. I forgot; I thought you might be cold,' she said,
hastily removing the rug she had thrown upon the feet of the sufferer;
and waiting till she saw that consciousness of her offence had passed
from his face, she withdrew from the room, and retired again downstairs.

Chapter II

'Twas on the evening of a w