and above the
power to make yourself a nuisance in your day? Was it understanding of
the Islands? Or a birthright in 'em? Or a child to leave it to?...
There, I do wrong to be angered with 'ee--you've got so little by your
bargain! But you put a strain upon a man, you do--talkin' of children
in that way. Children?" The man paused with something like a groan. An
instant before it had been in his mind to tell Sir Caesar passionately
that, so far from grudging the time spent in fetching Annet, Linnet and
Matthew Henry from school, he looked forward to it as the one bright
break in a day that began before sunrise and lasted till after sunset.
It had been on the tip of his tongue, too, to say, with equal passion,
that any man who spoke of them as savages insulted his wife's care of
them. But eloquence had come to him, now for the first time in his
life, as an inspiration. At the first check he stammered, and broke
down; and so, with a hunch of his shoulders, turned his back on his
audience and walked off heavily down the lane.

Mr. Pope, with great tact, laid a hand lightly on the Lord Proprietor's
arm and conducted him back to the gate by which they had entered.
There, yet gasping for speech, the great man lifted his eyes, and was
aware of Mrs. Pope and Miss Gabriel distractedly advancing along the
path.

With a gulp he pulled himself together, and walked forward to inform
them that the chase had been unsuccessful; that not a glimpse of the
fugitive had been discovered. Resuming a hold upon his gallantry, he
hoped that his visitors would remain for luncheon. "After which," he
added, with a creditable smile, "we may, if we will, resume the search
in more philosophical mood."

But here again Mr. Pope was tactful. He divined that his patron was
suffering; that the wound needed, for the moment, solitude and silence
to ease its smart. He was sorry to deprive the ladies of such a
pleasure; but, for his part, business called him back to Garland Town.
He had, he regretted to say, an engagement at two o'clock sharp. To be
sure, if the ladies chose to stay, he could send back the boat for
them.... But this he said knowing that his wife was thoroughly
frightened, and that (as she herself put it later) wild horses would
not induce her to remain, lacking his protection.

The Lord Proprietor escorted his visitors down to the landing quay and
there helped the ladies to embark. The search for the fair fugitive (he
promised them) shou