“Rid of it! you silly, excitable girl, certainly not. I’m more likely to get rid of the chauffeur; he does not know his place, and he does other people’s jobs, too, in my time. He exercised Katie’s dogs, and attended the Hanns’ sick pony, and, when the carrier lost his horse, I believe he doctored it and probably killed it--and they sent round for subscriptions for another, _I_ gave ten shillings--handsome, I call it!--and what do you think I saw in the list afterwards? ‘J. O., One Guinea.’ My own servant giving double--such unheard of impertinence! But Susan has spoiled him; I blame _her_. She talks to him as if he were an equal; I declare, if she were a girl, I’d be in a fine fright.” Aurea maintained a pale silence. “Yes; and Mrs. Riggs and others have remarked to me that they really thought it was dangerous to have such a good-looking young man about the place, though _I_ don’t think him good-looking--a conceited, dressed-up puppy. Oh, here’s Susan. Susan,”--raising her voice--“you see, Aurea sends for _you_ now!” “And welcome! Now, my dear child, come along; I want to show you my--I mean--the new croquet ground; it’s going to be splendid! Won’t you come out and have a look at it?” “No, thank you, Susan. It will be something to see when I come back. Let me get your hat, and we will stroll up together to the Rectory.” “Oh, very well, my dear; but I’d like you to see the croquet lawn. Owen has made it. He really is worth half a dozen of Tom Hogben--and it’s as level as a billiard-table.” But nothing would induce Aurea to change her mind. * * * * * Miss Susan accompanied her brother-in-law over to Hillminster, where he was due at a Diocesan meeting; it was thirty miles off, and he had suggested the train, but Miss Susan assured him, with eloquence, that “it was ten times better to motor, and to go through nice, out-of-the-way parts of the country, and see dear old villages and churches, instead of kicking your heels in odd little waiting-rooms, trying to catch one’s cross-country slow coach, and catching a cold instead.” It happened that Mr. Morven had arranged to spend the night with friends in the Cathedral Close, but Susan Parrett was bound to be home before sunset; only on these conditions was she suffered to undertake this unusually long expedition with the precious car. “Yes, Bella, I’ll be back without fail,” she declared; “though I’d like to stay for the three o’clock service in the Cathedral,” and she gazed at her tyrant appealingly. “Not to be thought of,” was the inflexible reply; “you will be here at six.--Remember the motor must be washed and put away, and the evenings are already shortening.”