"Well, people call her handsome, and she may be good-looking; I suppose she is," said Mrs. Layton, viciously, "but I have a very poor opinion of Margaret Churchill. If you believe it, I am told she is now once more endeavoring to entangle young Henderson of the Grange, in spite of the terrible scandal about him. I hear they invite him to the house, and that he buys horses of the old man, and that the new Mrs. Churchill is bent on the match." John Temple felt a strong wave of anger rise in his heart, but he prudently checked it before it reached his tongue. "Well," he said, rising from the table, "I will leave you two ladies for the present, if Mrs. Temple will excuse me? I have some letters to write, and afterward I think I shall go out; it is too fine a day to spend indoors." "Of course, please yourself," answered Mrs. Temple, carelessly. She did not like John leaving her thus, to be bored by her mother's company, but she stood on small ceremony. "I am tired; I will lie down and read in my own room for an hour or two, I think," she said. "Good-day, mother." She just extended the tips of her slender fingers to Mrs. Layton as she spoke, and then rose languidly and left the room. The squire was thus left alone with the vicar and his mother-in-law. But he also was tired of both. He retired into an easy chair, and put his handkerchief over his face to announce that he wanted a little rest. "Ah, I see you want a little doze, squire," cried Mrs. Layton, observing this. "Well, James," she continued, addressing her husband, "I will just take another glass of port and then we must be off. It's well for those who can afford to take rest, but a poor parson and his wife can not." The squire made no reply to this, and Mrs. Layton, having drank her port, took her leave, remarking to her husband as they quitted the house together: "Poor man, he is evidently failing fast." "Thank heavens she is gone!" exclaimed the squire with energy, pulling the handkerchief from his face as he heard their retreating footsteps. "What a woman! She's enough to drive anyone mad." CHAPTER XVI. THE LOVE THAT CAN NOT CHANGE. John Temple went up the staircase toward his own room, after quitting the luncheon, saying some very hard things indeed below his breath of Mrs. Layton. She had made him intensely angry about May Churchill and young Henderson. Not that he believed a word of it, but it enraged him to hear the girl's name coupled with this ruffian's, for so he mentally designated Henderson. John indeed had always had serious doubts as to Henderson's actual guilt regarding Elsie Wray's death. That he had broken the poor girl's heart he never doubted. But there had been something in the evidence of the groom, Jack Reid, something in his face that made John believe he was not speaking the truth. And that Henderson dare go near May! "It's that disgusting stepmother, I suppose," thought John; "my poor little girl, my poor May, you will be happier with me."