74 T^^ i?^i?/ Charlotte. 



When he reached Tally Ho he found the gate open, an 

 offence always visited with extremest penalties by Miss 

 Mullen, and as he walked up the drive he noticed that, be- 

 sides the broad wheel-tracks of the phaeton, there were 

 several thin and devious ones, at some places interrupted 

 by footmarks and a general appearance of a scuffle ; at 

 another heading into a lilac bush with apparent precipi- 

 tancy, and at the hall-door circling endlessly and crookedly 

 with several excursions on to the newly -mown plot of 

 grass. 



" I wonder what perambulator has been running amuck 

 in here ? Charlotte will make it hot for them, whoever they 

 were," thought Lambert, as he stood waiting for the door to 

 be opened, and watched through the glass of the porch-door 

 two sleek tortoise-shell cats lapping a saucer of yellow cream 

 in a corner of the hall. " By Jove ! how snug she is in this 

 little place. She must have a pot of money put by ; more 

 than she'd ever own up to, I'll engage ! " 



At this juncture the door opened, and he was confronted 

 by Norry the Boat, with sleeves rolled above her brown 

 elbows, and stockinged feet untrammelled by boots. 



" There's noan of them within," she announced before 

 he had time to speak. " Miss Charlotte's gone dhriving to 

 Gurthnamuckla, and Miss Francie went out a while ago." 



" Which way did she go, d'ye know ? " 



" Musha, faith ! I do not know what way did she go," 

 replied Norry, her usual asperity heightened by a recent 

 chase of Susan, who had fled to the roof of the turf-house 

 with a mackerel snatched from the kitchen-table. " I have 

 plinty to do besides running afther her. I heard her 

 spakin' to one outside in the avenue, and with that she 

 clapped the hall-doore afther her and she didn't come in 

 since." 



Lambert thought it wiser not to venture on the suggestion 

 that Louisa might be better informed, and walked away 

 down the avenue trying hard not to admit to himself his 

 disappointment. 



He turned towards home again in an objectless way, 

 thoroughly thwarted, and dismally conscious that the after- 

 noon contained for him only the prospect of having tea with 

 his wife and finishing his letters afterwards. His step be- 



