The man in the frieze overcoat turned round, and regarded the speaker with an amused stare, which that lady chose to consider very offensive. She turned her back upon him sharply, therefore, as she went on speaking to Chris, who looked frightened. The man in the frieze coat walked away. “What extremely bad manners these rustics have!” exclaimed Mrs. Abercarne, before he was well out of hearing. “Sh-sh, mamma! We don’t know who he is,” said Chris, in a terror-struck whisper. Mrs. Abercarne was going to retort rather sharply, when a thought, a suspicion, perhaps the same that had alarmed her daughter, made her pause, and turn abruptly to the porter who was standing behind her. “Who is that man?” she asked, quickly. “Which man, ma’am?” “The man in the long coat; the man who was standing at the bookstall.” The porter stared at her. He seemed to think she must be joking to make such an inquiry, and in such a tone. “The gentleman who has just gone out, ma’am?” ejaculated he, repeating her words with a difference; “why, that gentleman is Mr. Bradfield of the big house!” And he made the announcement in the tone of one who rebukes a blasphemer. CHAPTER II. THE GREAT MAN’S HOUSE. Poor Mrs. Abercarne tried to look as if she didn’t mind, but the attempt was a failure. It was with uneasy hearts and troubled countenances that both she and her daughter went through the station and got into the comfortable carriage which was waiting for them outside. Then, when they were well on their way, Chris rashly tried to comfort her. “Never mind, mother,” whispered she, tucking her hand lovingly under her mother’s arm, and speaking in a bright voice which expressed more cheerfulness than she felt. “Perhaps he didn’t hear. And, after all, you didn’t say anything so very dreadful, did you?” she added, trying to ignore those awful last words about the bad manners of rustics. “I daresay he knows himself that his footman looks rather round-faced and rosy.” “Indeed, Chris, it matters very little to me whether he heard or not,” answered Mrs. Abercarne, quickly “These people must expect to hear the truth of themselves sometimes; and it cannot possibly affect us for as you know, we have only come here, as one may say, for the fun of the thing, and nothing would induce us to stay here permanently in the house of such a barbaric person as you can see for yourself this Mr. Bradfield is.” And Mrs. Abercarne, having run herself quite out of breath in her haste to persuade Chris that her conduct had been singularly discreet and full of tact, sat back and looked out of the carriage window at the sea.