ered his dignity. Then he demanded in withering tones:

"May I ask what is the meaning of this?"

Ingred and Hereward, overwhelmed with confusion, stuttered out apologies
and explanations. The old gentleman listened with his busy gray eyebrows
knitted and his mouth pursed into a thin line.

"I shall immediately take steps to ensure that my dog has no further
opportunities of annoying you," he remarked stiffly, and took his
departure.

"Who is he?" whispered Ingred, as the footsteps on the other side of the
wall shuffled away.

"His name's Mr. Hardcastle. He's retired, and lives there with a
housekeeper. Great Scot! I've put my foot in it, haven't I? Who'd have
thought he was just going to pop his head up? Dad was going to ask him
to lend us his garden-roller, but it's no use now. I expect I've made an
enemy of him for life!"

"I hope he means to keep that savage dog fastened up," said Ingred.
"It's a horrid idea to think that it may, any time, pounce over the wall
at us. It's like having a wolf loose in the garden."

As a matter of fact, Mr. Hardcastle kept his word in a way that the
Saxons least anticipated. Instead of chaining the dog, he had a tall
wooden paling erected along the top of the wall, making an effectual
barrier between the two gardens. It was not a beautiful object, and it
cut off the sunshine from a whole long flower-bed; so, though it insured
privacy, it might be regarded as a doubtful benefit for the bungalow.

"It makes one feel so suburban," mourned Quenrede.

"We shan't be visible, at any rate, when we're digging potatoes,"
laughed Mrs. Saxon, "and that's a great point to me, for I'm past the
age that looks fascinating in an overall. If we've Suburbia on one side
of us, we've the open moor on the other, which is something to be
thankful for."

"Yes, until it's sold in building plots," sighed Quenrede, who was in a
fit of blues, and unwilling to count up her blessings.

CHAPTER IV

Intruder Bess

Ingred, after a blissful week-end, returned to Grovebury by the early
train on Monday morning, and, wrenching her mind with difficulty from
the interests of Wynch-on-the-Wold, focused it on school affairs
instead. There was certainly need of mental concentration if she meant
to make headway in the College. The standard of work required from
VA. was very stiff, and taxed the powers of even the brightest
girls to the uttermost.

"Miss Strong reminds me of Rehoboam!" wailed Fil, fresh