Grey glanced up at the yellow face of the grandfather's clock and
shook his head.

"Afraid not, little girl. I've got some work to do in connection with
Thursday week. I will drop in about nine o'clock. Who're coming?"

"Is it really necessary, this work?" There was a touch of bitterness
in Prudence's voice. But the next moment she went on cheerfully.
She would not allow herself to stand in her lover's way. "The usual
people are coming. It will be just our monthly gathering of
neighbouring--moss-backs," with a laugh. "The Turners, the
Furrers--Peter Furrers, of course; he still hopes to cut you
out--and the girls; old Gleichen and his two sons, Harry and Tim.
And the Ganthorns from Rosebank and their cousins the Covills of
Lakeville. And--I almost forgot him--mother's flame, George Iredale
of Lonely Ranch."

"Is Iredale coming? It's too bad of you to have him here, Prue. Your
mother's flame--um, I like that. Why, he's been after you for over
three years. It's not right to ask him when I am here, besides----"
Grey broke off abruptly. Darkness hid the angry flush which had spread
over his face. The girl knew he was angry. His tone was raised, and
there was no mistaking Leslie Grey's anger. He was very nearly a
gentleman, but not quite.

"I think I have a perfect right to ask him, Leslie," she answered
seriously. "His coming can make no possible difference to you.
Frankly, I like him, but that makes no difference to my love for you.
Why, you dear, silly thing, if he asked me from now till Doomsday I
wouldn't marry him. He's just a real good friend. But still, if it
will please you, I don't mind admitting that mother insisted on his
coming, and that I had nothing to do with it. That is why I call him
mother's flame. Now, then, take that ugly frown off your face and say
you're sorry."

Grey showed no sign of obedience; he was very angry. It was believed
and put about by the busy-bodies of the district, that George Iredale
had sought Prudence Malling in marriage ever since she had grown up.
He was a bachelor of close upon forty. One of those quiet, determined
men, slow of speech, even clumsy, but quick to make up their minds,
and endowed with a great tenacity of purpose. A man who rarely said he
was going to do a thing, but generally did it. These known features in
a man who, up to the time of the announcement of Prudence's engagement
to Grey, had been a frequent visitor to the farm, and who was also
well known to b