312 THE FAT OF THE LAND 



where they made merry without seriously in- 

 terrupting sleep in the main house. The others 

 found comfortable quarters under our roof, ex- 

 cept Sir Tom, who would go home some time in 

 the night, to return before lunch the next day. 



With such a houseful of people, the cook was 

 worked to the bone ; but she gloried in it, and 

 cackled harder than ever. I believe she gave 

 warning twice during those ten days ; but Polly 

 has a way with her which Mary cannot resist. 

 I do not think we could have driven that cook 

 out of the house with a club when there was 

 such an opportunity for her to distinguish her- 

 self. Her warnings were simply matters of habit. 



The holidays were filled with such things as 

 a congenial country house-party can furnish 

 the wholesomest, jolliest things in the world ; 

 and the end, when it came, was regretted by 

 all. I grew to feel a little bit jealous of Jarvis's 

 attentions to Jane, for they looked serious, and 

 she was not made unhappy by them. Jarvis 

 was all that was honest and manly, but I could 

 not think of giving up Jane, even to the best of 

 fellows. I wanted her for my old age. I sus- 

 pect that a loving father can dig deeper into the 

 mud of selfishness than any other man, and yet 

 feel all the time that he is doing God service. 

 It is in accord with nature that a daughter 

 should take the bit in her teeth and bolt away from 

 this restraining selfishness, but the man who is left 

 by the roadside cannot always see it in that light. 



