from
between the bars of the gate, and of a white hand which eagerly beckoned
me to approach. As I advanced to her I saw that it was the same young
lady whom I had seen in the carriage.

"Mr. West," she said, in a quick whisper, glancing from side to side as
she spoke in a nervous, hasty manner, "I wish to apologise to you for
the indignity to which you and your family were subjected yesterday.
My brother was in the avenue and saw it all, but he is powerless to
interfere. I assure you, Mr. West, that if that hateful thing," pointing
up at the placard, "has given you any annoyance, it has given my brother
and myself far more."

"Why, Miss Heatherstone," said I, putting the matter off with a laugh,
"Britain is a free country, and if a man chooses to warn off visitors
from his premises there is no reason why he should not."

"It is nothing less than brutal," she broke out, with a petulant
stamp of the foot. "To think that your sister, too, should have such a
unprovoked insult offered to her! I am ready to sink with shame at the
very thought."

"Pray do not give yourself one moment's uneasiness upon the subject,"
said I earnestly, for I was grieved at her evident distress. "I am sure
that your father has some reason unknown to us for taking this step."

"Heaven knows he has!" she answered, with ineffable sadness in her
voice, "and yet I think it would be more manly to face a danger than
to fly from it. However, he knows best, and it is impossible for us to
judge. But who is this?" she exclaimed, anxiously, peering up the dark
avenue. "Oh, it is my brother Mordaunt. Mordaunt," she said, as the
young man approached us. "I have been apologising to Mr. West for what
happened yesterday, in your name as well as my own."

"I am very, very glad to have the opportunity of doing it in person,"
said he courteously. "I only wish that I could see your sister and your
father as well as yourself, to tell them how sorry I am. I think you
had better run up to the house, little one, for it's getting near
tiffin-time. No--don't you go Mr. West. I want to have a word with you."

Miss Heatherstone waved her hand to me with a bright smile, and tripped
up the avenue, while her brother unbolted the gate, and, passing
through, closed it again, locking it upon the outside.

"I'll have a stroll down the road with you, if you have no objection.
Have a manilla." He drew a couple of cheroots from his pocket and
handed one to me. "You'll find t