arms of Augustus.

He has not manners enough to stand such an assault. His face flushed
with annoyance, and the savage look grew round his mouth. I waited
for the explosion.

"Confound it, Mrs. Dodd!" he said. "Women have no business out
shooting, and you had better clear out and go home."

"I've never been so insulted in my life!" she snorted, as we walked
back to the farm, after a confused scene, in which Mr. Dodd and Sir
Samuel and Augustus, Miss Springle, and Mrs. Dodd herself had all
talked at once.

"Never so insulted in my life! Sent away as if I wasn't wanted. If I
hadn't known Gussie Gurrage since he was a baby I'd have boxed his
ears, that I would!"

I remained in haughty silence. I feared I should burst into screams of
laughter if I attempted speech.

Miss Springle had evaded us at the last minute, and could be seen once
more by Mr. Dodd's side as we drove past the shooters again on the
road.

A meek woman, sister of Mr. McCormack, a Mrs. Broun by name, who had
quietly stood by her husband and had not been in any one's way, now
caught Mrs. Dodd's wrath.

"You've had a good deal to do with Jessie Springle's bringing up, I've
heard, Mrs. Broun, since her mother died, and a disgrace she is to
you, I can testify."

"Oh, dear Mrs. Dodd, how can you say such a thing?" said Mrs. Broun,
almost crying. "Jessie is a dear girl, so full of fun."

"Fun, you call it, Mrs. Broun! Looking after other women's husbands!
How would you like her to be flirting with your Tom?"

(This is the spirit my mother-in-law would approve of.)

"Oh, it is quite immodest, talking so, Mrs. Dodd!" replied the
meek lady, flushing scarlet. "Why, no one would ever think of such
things--a girl to flirt with a married man!"

"That's all you know about it, Mrs. Broun. I tell you that girl will
upset your home yet! Mark my words; but I'll not have her running
after Wullie, anyway."

The situation was becoming very strained. I felt bound to interfere by
some _banal_ remarks about the scenery, and finally we arrived back at
Ledstone and I got rid of them by conducting them to their rooms.

IX

It poured rain again before the sportsmen returned, and they were more
or less wet and cross. Antony went straight to his room to change, and
so did the two other decent men. But the commercial friends stayed
as they were, muddy boots and all, and were grouped round the fire,
smelling of wet, hot tweed, when Mrs. Dodd sailed into the