friendly relations between
us and--er--my good tenants. This Gallup person is not one of them.
There is not the smallest necessity to know him, and what's more, I
decline to know him. Do you understand?"

"No, father, I don't. I can't promise to cut Mr Gallup or be rude to
him if I happen to meet him; he has done nothing to deserve it. You
don't ask us to cut that odious Rabbich boy, who _is_ a bounder, if you
like."

"I know nothing about the Rabbich boy, as you call him. If he is what
you say, I should certainly advise you to drop his acquaintance; but I
must and do insist that you shall not further cultivate the
acquaintance of this young Gallup."

"He's going back to London to-morrow afternoon, father. What _is_
there to worry about?"

Mr Ffolliot sighed. "I shall be glad," he exclaimed, "when your mother
returns."

"So will everybody," said Mary.

CHAPTER XX

THE GRANTLY STRAIN

Easter, that year, fell in the second week of April, and both Grantly
and the twins were home for it. Mrs Ffolliot was back too. The
Riviera had done wonders for her, and she returned beautiful and gay,
and immensely glad to have her children round her once more.

To celebrate Mrs Ffolliot's return, it was decided to give a
dinner-party. Dinner-parties were rare occurrences at the Manor. The
Squire allowed about two a year, and grumbled a good deal over each.
If he would have left the whole thing to Mrs Ffolliot, she and everyone
else would have enjoyed it; but he would interfere. Above all, he
insisted on supervising the list of guests, and settling who was to go
in with whom. This time they were to number fourteen in all, and as
Grantly and Mary were to be of the party, that left ten people to be
discussed.

It was arranged with comparative ease till about a week before the day
fixed the bachelor intended for Mary broke his leg out hunting. Mary
had been allowed a new dress for the occasion; it would be the first
time she had been at a real party in her father's house, and to be left
out would have been a cruel disappointment.

Bachelors in that neighbourhood, even elderly bachelors, who came up to
the standard required by Mr Ffolliot were few, and there was
comparatively little time.

The four elder children, their father, and mother were sitting at
lunch; they had reached the cheese stage. Fusby and his attendant maid
had departed, and the question of a "man for Mary" occupied the
attention of the