I suppose my determined voice and manner had some effect in making them obey me, for they certainly disappeared with marvellous alacrity. But I was terribly frightened the while, and when the last one had filed out of the yard, I was trembling all over from excitement. ‘Mr. Lovett,’ I said quickly, as I turned to my guardian; ‘pray come back into the house. I am sure you must want a glass of wine after such an unpleasant scene.’ The old man looked just the same as he had done before: very pale and fixed, but unmoved; and I could not help admiring his British determination not to show the white feather. Yet, when he answered me, I saw that his lip trembled, and I could hardly understand what he said. ‘Thank you, my dear Hilda,’ were his first words; and then I think he added, in a lower tone, ‘I have not deserved this at your hands.’ We passed through the kitchen arm-in-arm, and I threw a defiant glance at Madame Marmoret, in exchange for the scowl with which she honoured me, and led my guardian to the little _salle_, where Tessie, who had nearly frightened herself into a fit, was waiting to receive us. ‘Oh, papa! dear papa!’ she exclaimed, as she flung herself into her father’s arms and burst into tears. ‘What _shall_ we do? Are those horrid people gone? Is there nothing we can say to keep them quiet?’ But Mr. Lovett had quite recovered himself by this time, and was ready to rebuke his daughter for her folly in making a mountain out of a mole-hill. ‘Calm yourself, my dear Tessie,’ he said, as he patted her on the back; ‘there is nothing to be so agitated about. These poor souls are certainly very ignorant of etiquette, and we must make allowances for them, although they must be taught that they cannot take the law in their own hands. They appear to have a little misunderstanding amongst them, and to fancy I do not intend to pay them their money. I must set this straight at once, and for that purpose I think it will be better if I go to Rille for a few days and consult my man of business, Monsieur Richet. Let me see, to-day is Tuesday, and I shall be back, at the latest, on Friday. Will you put a couple of shirts into my small black bag, my dear, and anything else you may think necessary, whilst our dear Hilda pours me out a glass of burgundy, for I really require something after all that talking.’ I had not been his ‘dear Hilda’ for many a long day, but I was in no frame of mind to resent the liberty then. My reverend guardian’s coolness took me completely aback. Did he think that Tessie and I were to be gulled by his proposals to see his man of business, or had he talked in that pompous manner so long that he had outgrown the perception of its absurdity? At any rate, however, I was thankful he was going to Rille. To get him out of the way for the present was the chief thing, and whilst there, we might come to some conclusion as to the best way to patch up his affairs, which were so evident a scandal in the parish.