have you joined the Methodists, Garvington?" asked an
officer who had come over from some twelve-mile distant barracks to pass
the night, and a girl behind him began to sing a hymn.

Lady Agnes frowned. "I wish you wouldn't do that, Miss Ardale," she
said in sharp rebuke, and the girl had the sense to be silent, while
Garvington fussed over the closing of the window shutters.

"Going to stand a siege?" asked Miss Greeby, laughing. "Or do you expect
burglars, particularly on this night."

"I don't expect them at all," retorted the little man. "But I tell you I
hate the idea of these lawless gypsies about the place. Still, if anyone
comes," he added grimly, "I shall shoot."

"Then the attacking person or party needn't bother," cried the officer.
"I shouldn't mind standing up to your fire, myself, Garvington."

With laughter and chatter and much merriment at the host's expense, the
guests went their several ways, the women to chat in one another's
dressing-rooms and the men to have a final smoke and a final drink.
Garvington, with two footmen, and his butler, went round the house,
carefully closing all the shutters, and seeing that all was safe. His
sister rather marvelled at this excessive precaution, and said as much
to her hostess.

"It wouldn't matter if the gypsies did break in," she said when alone
with Lady Garvington in her own bedroom. "It would be some excitement,
for all these people must find it very dull here."

"I'm sure I do my best, Agnes," said the sister-in-law plaintively.

"Of course, you do, you poor dear," said the other, kissing her. "But
Garvington always asks people here who haven't two ideas. A horrid,
rowdy lot they are. I wonder you stand it."

"Garvington asks those he likes, Agnes."

"I see. He hasn't any brains, and his guests suit him for the same
reason."

"They eat a great deal," wailed Lady Garvington. "I'm sure I might as
well be a cook. All my time is taken up with feeding them."

"Well, Freddy married you, Jane, because you had a genius for looking
after food. Your mother was much the same; she always kept a good
table." Lady Agnes laughed. "Yours was a most original wooing, Jane."

"I'd like to live on bread and water for my part, Agnes."

"Put Freddy on it, dear. He's getting too stout. I never thought that
gluttony was a crime. But when I look at Freddy"--checking her speech,
she spread out her hands with an ineffable look--"I'm glad that Noel is
coming," she ended,