r--unless, indeed, an inquiry
when his lordship would be coming could be considered in that light.

Larkhall Hill stood in the centre of a circle, on a gentle eminence,
commanding a view over a farm whose fertile fields and well-trimmed fences
sufficiently indicated its boundaries, and looked indeed as if all the good
of the country had come up to it. It was green and luxuriant even in
winter, while the strong cane-coloured stubbles showed what a crop there
had been. Turnips as big as cheeses swelled above the ground. In a little
narrow dell, whose existence was more plainly indicated from the house by
several healthy spindling larches shooting up from among the green gorse,
was the cover--an almost certain find, with the almost equal certainty of a
run from it. It occupied both sides of the sandy, rabbit-frequented dell,
through which ran a sparkling stream, and it possessed the great advantage
to foot-people of letting them see the fox found. Larkhall Hill was,
therefore, a favourite both with horse and foot. So much good--at all
events, so much well-farmed land would seem to justify a better or more
imposing-looking house, the present one consisting, exclusive of the
projecting garret ones in the Dutch tile roof, of the usual four windows
and a door, that so well tell their own tale; passage in the middle,
staircase in front, parlour on the right, best ditto on the left, with
rooms to correspond above. To be sure, there was a great depth of house to
the back; but this in no way contributed to the importance of the front,
from which point alone the Springwheats chose to have it contemplated. If
the back arrangements could have been divided, and added to the sides, they
would have made two very good wings to the old red brick rose-entwined
mansion. Having mentioned that its colour was red, it is almost superfluous
to add that the door and rails were green.

This was a busy morning at Larkhall Hill. It was the first day of the
season of my lord's hounds meeting there, and the handsome Mrs. Springwheat
had had as much trouble in overhauling the china and linen, and in dressing
the children, preparatory to breakfast, as Springwheat had had in
collecting knives and forks, and wine-glasses and tumblers for his
department of the entertainment, to say nothing of looking after his new
tops and cords. 'The Hill,' as the country people call it, was 'full fig';
and a bright, balmy winter's day softened the atmosphere, and felt as