or I have a deal of work upstairs."

"Why should you have work, mother?"

"Why did you invite a fine gentleman here? You had better answer that
question. The best room must be got ready, and the feather bed laid
before the fire."

"A fire in this weather!" exclaimed Melville.

"No one ever sleeps in my house in an unaired bed; and never will, while
I am mistress of it, that I can tell you. I hope your fine gentleman is
not one to scoff at plain people."

"Arundel is far too well bred to make invidious remarks. But for all
that, things may strike him as a little odd. I was going to suggest that
we should dine at four o'clock while he is here, and that the boys
should not sit down with us elders. It is not the custom in great
houses."

"It is the custom here, and mine is _not_ a great house: it is a
comfortable English home, where there is no waste, and no extravagance,
and no show. I'll warrant your grand friend never slept in a better bed
nor between finer sheets than he will to-night. They are as sweet as
lavender can make them, and----"

Melville shrugged his shoulders.

"Nay, spare me, mother, and let us leave the arrangements of
bed-chambers to the fitting people. And, if I might suggest it, let all
things wear their best appearance when Arundel arrives, including the
mistress of the mansion. It is a pity when one so young and
comely-looking as my mother should pay such scant heed to the little
feminine ornaments which are----Phaugh! what is this? Positively a red
ant crawling from the bread-trencher. What a beast! Quick! catch it,
mother. I hope we shall have no red ants when Arundel is here."

Mrs. Falconer darted down upon the ant with her forefinger, and speedily
despatched it, exclaiming there was a perfect plague of ants in the
larder, and she did not know how to be rid of them.

"Disgusting!" said her son, carefully covering the body of the ant with
a leaf which had garnished the pat of butter. "It is enough to make one
sick. I must have a little brandy to settle myself, or rather, my
breakfast, before I start."

Mrs. Falconer made no response to this request. But the spirit-stand was
in the sideboard, and when his mother was gone Melville helped himself
to a pretty strong dram, and then lounged about till it was time to
mount the "four-wheel" and drive into Wells.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER II.

THE CITY OF THE DEEP SPRINGS.

The squire's high "four-wheel" drew up before the door of