oken his own neck and the mare's knees," said Mrs.
MacDermott.

"He has not then. Neither the one nor the other. I don't know how he'd
do if you faced him with a stone wall, but the way he took the bay over
the fence at the end of the paddock was as neat as ever I seen. You
couldn't have done it better yourself, ma'am."

"He can ride, then?"

"Ride!" said Gafferty. "Is it ride? If his poetry is no worse nor his
riding he'll make money by it yet."

The dinner with the rector was not an entire success. The clergyman,
warned beforehand that he was to entertain a well-known poet, had
prepared himself by reading several books of Wordsworth's Excursion.
Bertram shied at the name of Wordsworth and insisted on hearing from his
aunt a detailed account of the day's run. This puzzled Mrs. MacDermott a
little; but she hit upon an explanation which satisfied her. The rector
was enthusiastic in his admiration of Wordsworth. Bertram, a poet
himself, evidently suffered from professional jealousy.

Mrs. MacDermott, who had looked forward to her nephew's visit with
dread, began to enjoy it Bertram was a cheerful young man with an easy
flow of slangy conversation. His tastes were very much the same as
Mrs. MacDermott's own. He smoked, and drank whisky and soda in moderate
quantities. He behaved in all respects like a normal man, showing no
signs of the nervousness which goes with the artistic temperament. His
politeness to her and the trouble he took, about her comfort in small
matters were very pleasant. He had large handsome blue eyes, and Mrs.
MacDermott liked the way he looked at her. His gaze expressed a frank
admiration which was curiously agreeable.

A week after his arrival Mrs. MacDermott paid a high compliment to
her nephew. She promised to mount him on the bay mare and take him out
hunting. She had satisfied herself that Johnny Gafferty was not mistaken
and that the young man really could ride. Bertram, excited and in high
good humour, succeeded, before she had time to protest, in giving her a
hearty kiss of gratitude.

The morning of the hunt was warm and moist. The meet was in one of the
most favourable places in the country. Mrs. MacDermott, drawing on her
gloves in the hall before starting, noted with gratification that her
nephew's breeches were well-cut and his stock neatly fastened. Johnny
Gafferty could be heard outside the door speaking to the horses which he
held ready.

A telegraph boy arrived on a bicycle.