alm had settled that mark the close of a perfect autumn day, with
the additional stillness which always makes itself perceptible on a
Sunday.

Mark felt the influence of it all, and was vaguely comforted--he
remembered the passing interchange of glances across the fence, and it
consoled him.

At supper that evening his uncle, too, recovered his spirits: 'If he
brings a summons, they'll dismiss it,' he said confidently; 'but he
knows better than that as a lawyer--if he does, he'll find the laugh
turned against him, hey? I'm not answerable for what Wilcox chooses to
do without my orders. I never told him he wasn't to--but that ain't
like telling him to go and do it, is it now? And where's the cruelty,
either?--a blend like that, too. Just try a glass, now, and say what
you think--he'll be dropping in for more of it if he's the bird _I_
take him for!'

But as they were going upstairs to bed, he stopped at the head of the
staircase and said to Mark, 'Before I forget it, you remind me to get
Wilcox to find out, quietly, the first thing to-morrow, how that
gander is.'

CHAPTER VI.

SO NEAR AND YET SO FAR.

When Mark awoke next morning the weather had undergone one of those
sudden and complete changes which form one of the chief attractions of
our climate; there had been a frost, and with it a thin white mist,
which threw its clinging veil over the landscape; the few trees which
were near enough to be seen were covered with a kind of thick grey
vegetation, that gave them a spectral resemblance to their summer
selves. Breakfast was early, as Mark had to be down at St. Peter's as
soon after morning chapel as possible, and he came down shivering to
find his uncle already seated. 'The dog-cart will be round in five
minutes,' said the latter gentleman, with his mouth full; 'so make the
most of your time. You'll have a cold drive. I'll take you over to the
station myself, and go on and see Ferret after.'

The too-zealous Wilcox brought the trap round. ''Ave you been round to
see about that bird next door?' Mr. Lightowler asked rather
anxiously, as the man stood by the mare's head. 'Yessir,' said Wilcox,
with a grin; 'I went and saw Mr. 'Umpage's man, and he say the old
gander was werry bad when they got 'im 'ome, but he ain't any the
worse for what he 'ad this mornin', sir; though the man, he dew say as
the gander seem a bit sorry for 'isself tew. They tough old birds 'a'
got strong 'eads, sir; _I_ knowed it 'ud do