d it was, as it were, by accident that he had conceived
the class generalization which he had fired back at Miltoun from Mrs.
Noel's window. Sanguine, accustomed to queer environments, and always
catching at the moment as it flew, he had not to fight with the
timidities and irritations of a nervous temperament. His cheery courtesy
was only disturbed when he became conscious of some sentiment which
appeared to him mean or cowardly. On such occasions, not perhaps
infrequent, his face looked as if his heart were physically fuming, and
since his shell of stoicism was never quite melted by this heat, a very
peculiar expression was the result, a sort of calm, sardonic, desperate,
jolly look.

His chief feeling, then, at the outrage which had laid him captive in
the enemy's camp, was one of vague amusement, and curiosity. People
round about spoke fairly well of this Caradoc family. There did not seem
to be any lack of kindly feeling between them and their tenants; there
was said to be no griping destitution, nor any particular ill-housing
on their estate. And if the inhabitants were not encouraged to improve
themselves, they were at all events maintained at a certain level, by
steady and not ungenerous supervision. When a roof required thatching it
was thatched; when a man became too old to work, he was not suffered to
lapse into the Workhouse. In bad years for wool, or beasts, or crops,
the farmers received a graduated remission of rent. The pottery-works
were run on a liberal if autocratic basis. It was true that though
Lord Valleys was said to be a staunch supporter of a 'back to the land'
policy, no disposition was shown to encourage people to settle on these
particular lands, no doubt from a feeling that such settlers would not
do them so much justice as their present owner. Indeed so firmly did
this conviction seemingly obtain, that Lord Valleys' agent was not
unfrequently observed to be buying a little bit more.

But, since in this life one notices only what interests him, all this
gossip, half complimentary, half not, had fallen but lightly on the ears
of the champion of Peace during his campaign, for he was, as has, been
said, but a poor politician, and rode his own horse very much his own
way.

While he stood there enjoying the view, he heard a small high voice, and
became conscious of a little girl in a very shady hat so far back on
her brown hair that it did not shade her; and of a small hand put out in
front. H