irl's frank and ingenuous mind. She was full of talk--spontaneous,
inconsequent talk--like Jack; and yet with a vast difference. Hers was
not a wholly happy temperament, Howard thought; she seemed oppressed by
a sense of duty, and he could not help feeling that she needed some
sort of outlet. Neither the Vicar nor Jack were people who stood in
need of sympathy or affection. He felt that they did not quite
understand the drift of the girl's mind, which seemed clear enough to
him. And yet there fell on him, for all his happiness, a certain
dissatisfaction. He would have liked to feel less elderly, less
paternal; and the girl's frank confidence in him, treating him as she
might have treated an uncle or an elder brother, was at once delightful
and disconcerting. The day began to decline as they walked, and the
light faded to a sombre bleakness. Howard went back to the Vicarage
with her, and, at her urgent request, went in to tea. They found the
Vicar and Dr. Grierson already established. Mrs. Darby was quite
comfortable, and no danger was apprehended. The Vicar's diagnosis had
been right, and his precautions perfect. "I could not have done better
myself!" said Dr. Grierson, a kindly, bluff Scotchman. Howard became
aware that the Vicar must have told the Doctor the news about his
inheritance, and was subtly flattered at being treated by him with the
empressement reserved for squires. Jack came in--he had been shooting
all afternoon--and told Howard he was improving. "I shall catch you
up," he said. He seemed frankly amused at the idea of Howard having
spent the afternoon with Maud. "You have got the whole family on your
back, it seems," he said. Maud was silent, but in her heightened colour
and sparkling eye Howard discerned a touch of happiness, and he enjoyed
the quiet attention she gave to his needs. The Vicar seemed sorry that
they had not made a closer inspection of the village. "But you were
right to begin with a general coup d'oeil," he said; "the whole before
the parts! First the conspectus, then the details," he added
delightedly. "So you have been to the Isle of Thorns?" he went on. "I
want to rake out the old fellow up there some day--but Cousin Anne
won't allow it--you must persuade her; and we will have a splendid
field-day there, unearthing all the old boy's arrangements; I am sure
he has never been disturbed."

"I am afraid I agree with my aunt," said Howard, shaking his head.

"Ah, Maud has been getting at y