_that_ afterwards. It's only that I
hoped we were going to have a quiet two days, and now the Atterby-Smiths
are coming, yes, in half an hour. Five of them!"

"The Atterby-Smiths!" I exclaimed, for somehow I too felt disappointed.
"Who are the Atterby-Smiths?"

"Cousins of George's, his nearest relatives. They think he ought to have
left them everything. But he didn't, because he could never bear the
sight of them. You see his property was unentailed and he left it all to
me. Now the entire family is advancing to suggest that I should leave
it to them, as perhaps I might have done if they had not chosen to come
just now."

"Why didn't you put them off?" I asked.

"Because I couldn't," she answered with a little stamp of her foot,
"otherwise do you suppose they would have been here? They were far too
clever. They telegraphed after lunch giving the train by which they were
to arrive, but no address save Charing Cross. I thought of moving up
to the Berkeley Square house, but it was impossible in the time, also I
didn't know how to catch you. Oh! it's _most_ vexatious."

"Perhaps they are very nice," I suggested feebly.

"Nice! Wait till you have seen them. Besides if they had been angels
I did not want them just now. But how selfish I am! Come and have
some tea. And you can stop longer, that is if you live through the
Atterby-Smiths who are worse than both the Kendah tribes put together.
Indeed I wish old Harut were coming instead. I should like to see Harut
again, wouldn't you?" and suddenly the mystical look I knew so well,
gathered on her face.

"Yes, perhaps I should," I replied doubtfully. "But I must leave by the
first train on Tuesday morning; it goes at eight o'clock. I looked it
up."

"Then the Atterby-Smiths leave on Monday if I have to turn them out
of the house. So we shall get one evening clear at any rate. Stop a
minute," and she rang the bell.

The footman appeared as suddenly as though he had been listening at the
door.

"Alfred," she said, "tell Moxley" (he, I discovered, was the butler)
"that when Mr. and Mrs. Atterby-Smith, the two Misses Atterby-Smith and
the young Mr. Atterby-Smith arrive, they are to be shown to their rooms.
Tell the cook also to put off dinner till half-past eight, and if Mr.
and Mrs. Scroope arrive earlier, tell Moxley to tell them that I
am sorry to be a little late, but that I was delayed by some parish
business. Now do you understand?"

"Yes, my Lady," said Alfred