"They make up surprisingly for it afterwards," replied Linton, dryly.

"So you 'll not consent, Jim?" said Frobisher, in a half-coaxing manner to the young girl, who, with averted head, sat in mingled sorrow and displeasure. "Well, don't be pettish about it; I 'm sure I thought it very generous in me, considering--"

She looked round at this moment, and her large eyes were bent upon him with a look which their very tears made pa.s.sionately meaning.

"Considering what a neat finger you have on a young horse," said he. And she turned abruptly away, and, as if to hide her emotion, spurred her mare into a bounding canter.

"Take care, Charley, take care what you 're doing," said Linton, with a look of consummate shrewdness.

Frobisher looked after her for a minute or two, and then seemed to drop into a revery, for he made no reply whatever.

"Let the matter stop where it is," said Linton, quietly, as if replying to some acknowledgment of the other; "let it stop there, I say, and one of these days, when she marries,--as she unquestionably will do, through papa Downie's means,--somebody of influence, she 'll be a steadfast, warm friend, never forgetting, nor ever wishing to forget, her childhood's companion. Go a little further, however, and you 'll just have an equally determined enemy. I know a little of both sides of the question," added he, meditatively, "and it needs slight reflection which to prefer."

"How are you going to amuse us here, Mr. Linton?" said she, cantering up at this moment; "for it seems to me, as old Lord Kilgoff says, that we are like to have a very dull house. People are ordering dinner for their own small parties as unsocially as though they were at the Crown Inn, at Brighton."

"Yes, by the by," said Frobisher, "I want to ask you about that. Don't you think it were better to dash a little bit of 'communism' through your administration?"

"I intend to send in my resignation as premier, now that the head of the State has arrived," said Linton, smiling dubiously.

"I perceive," said Frobisher, shrewdly, "you expect that the Government will go to pieces, if you leave it."

"The truth is, Charley," said he, dropping his voice to a low whisper, and leaning his hand on the horse's mane, "our friend Roland is rather too far in the category 'savage' for long endurance; he grows capricious and self-opinionated. The thin plating comes off, and shows the buccaneer at every slight abrasion."

"What of that?" said Frobisher, languidly; "his book on Coutts' is unexceptionable. Come, Tom, you are the only man here who has a head for these things. Do exert yourself and set something a-going."

"Well, what shall it be?" said he, gayly. "Shall we get the country people together, and have hack races? Shall we a.s.semble the squires, and have a ball? Shall we start private theatricals? What says Miss Meek?"

"I vote for all three. Pray do, Mr. Linton,--you, who are so clever, and can do everything,--make us gay. If we only go on as we have begun, the house will be like a model prison,--on the separate and silent system."

"As you wish it," said Linton, bowing with a.s.sumed gallantry; "and now to work at once." So saying, he turned towards the house, the others riding at either side of him.

"What shall we do about Derwent's letter, Tom?" asked Frobisher.

"Never speak of it; the chances are that he has heard enough to satisfy the most gluttonous curiosity. Besides, he has lost his yacht." Here he dropped his voice to a low muttering, as he said, "And may soon have a heavier loss!"

"Is his pace too fast?" said Frobisher, who caught up the meaning, although not the words.

Linton made no reply, for his thoughts were on another track; then, suddenly catching himself, he said, "Come, and let us have a look at the stables; I've not seen our stud yet." And they turned off from the main approach and entered the wood once more.

END OF VOL. I.