two neighbours had met since the
quarrel. The Squire had actually written first--and to please her.
Very touching, and very embarrassing! She hoped for the best.

Sir Henry Chicksands advanced as though nothing had happened--solid,
ruddy, benevolent, and well dressed, as usual.

He bowed with marked deference to Elizabeth, and then offered a hand
to the Squire, which was limply accepted.

'Well, Mannering, very glad to see you. Like every one else, you
seem to be selling your woods.'

'Under threat of being shot if I don't!' said the Squire grimly.

'What? They're commandeered?'

'The Government spies are all about. I preferred to anticipate them.
Well, what about your ploughed-up grass-lands, Chicksands? I hear
they are full of wire-worms, and the crops a very poor show.'

'Ah, it was an enemy said that,' laughed Sir Henry, submitting with
a good grace to some more remarks of the same kind, and escaping
from them as soon as he could.

'I heard of your haul of ash,' he said. 'A man in the Air Board told
me. Magnificent!'

'You may thank her.' The Squire indicated his secretary. 'I knew
nothing about it.'

'And you're still hunting?' Sir Henry turned to Elizabeth. 'May I
join your walk if you're going through the woods?' Captain Dell was
introduced. 'You want my opinion on your deal? Well, I'm an old
forester, and I'll give it you with pleasure. I used to shoot here,
year after year, with the Squire, in our young days--isn't that so,
Mannering? I know this bit of country by heart, and I think I could
help you to bag a few more ash.'

Elizabeth's blue eyes appealed with all proper deference to the
Squire.

'Won't you come?'

He shook his head.

'I'm tired of timber. Do what you like. I'll sit here and read till
you come back.'

Sir Henry's shrug was perceptible, but he held his peace, and the
three walked away. The Squire, finding a seat on a fallen tree, took
a book out of his pocket and pretended to read it.

'Nobody can be as important as Chicksands looks!' he said to himself
angrily. Even the smiling manner which ignored their six months'
quarrel had annoyed him hugely. It was a piece of condescension--an
impertinence. Oh, of course Chicksands was the popular man, the
greatest power in the county, looked up to, and listened to by
everybody. The Squire knew very well that he himself was ostracized,
even hated; that there had been general chuckling in the
neighbourhood over his rough handling by