't lasting. I asked Mr Druce if he would help me
this morning, and do a little rolling into the bargain, but he would not
give up his ride."

Mrs Thornton pursed up her lips, stared first at the ground, then at
the sky, then across into Mollie's face.

"He is very fond of riding!" she said mysteriously. "I see him pass
every morning, going in the same direction, and always alone. How is it
that none of you ever go with him?"

"Jack Melland is still lame, and Ruth and I are only beginners. We have
little canters together in the afternoons sometimes, but in the mornings
he prefers to be free to go longer distances. He goes ever so far--
miles and miles. One morning last week he met Lady Margot Blount
somewhere near the Moat."

"And one morning this week also, for my husband saw them together, and
if I were inclined to gossip, I should say it was oftener than once. My
dear Mollie, how charming! Are we going to have a love-story to enliven
the summer? Nobody ever gets engaged or married in this sleepy place,
and this would be truly exciting! But I thought at one time--excuse my
saying so, won't you, dear?--I quite thought he admired your sister, and
that there might be a match there!"

"Of course, he admired her--no one could help it; but please never hint
at anything of the sort to Ruth. She is very reserved, and would hate
to be talked about!" cried Mollie hastily.

Across the lawn Ruth's graceful figure could be seen kneeling in front
of a bed of flowers which she was fastening to supporting sticks in her
usual neat, methodical fashion. No one could have recognised that bed
as the same confused broken-down mass of blossom which it had been an
hour earlier.

"There! now they do look as if someone loved them," said Ruth to
herself, straightening her weary back, and brushing the soil off her
fingers.

After the Thorntons' more casual work was over, she had made a careful
round of the beds, giving those dainty finishing touches which add so
largely to the effect. Now her work was finished, and, seeing Mrs
Thornton and Mollie standing together, she rose stiffly, and walked
across the lawn to meet them.

"Have you finished? I think I have really come to the end of the beds,
and everything looks delightfully `cared for'! I shall bring my camera
down on Thursday, Mrs Thornton, and take some snapshots of your guests
in pretty corners of the garden. Did you know I had taken the
photographic fever? I bo