“Not in connection with the history of my native land, Mr. Overton. You will search in vain the history of Australia from the earliest date to find any allusion there to a visit from Nell Gwyn,” said Pierce. “But I’ve had fifteen houses pointed out to me within the four-mile radius, in each of which Nell Gwyn lived. And yet the greatest authority on the subject says she never lived in any but two.” “Well, The Gables was one of them,” said Guy. “I should know it for the place is mine. I’ve just bought it.” “The dearest old house by the river that was ever seen,” said Amber. “You must have seen it, Mr. Winwood. On the way to Hurley--you told us you went to Hurley. The river is at the bottom of the lawn.” “Yes, in summer; but in the winter the lawn is at the bottom of the river--why it was Guy himself who told me that some friend of his had said that,” laughed Pierce. “Anyhow you’ve bought the place. Bravo, Guy! You got it cheap?” “Not so cheap as I meant to when I set out to do it,” said Guy. “But another chap was in the running for it too--a brewer chap! Disgusting, isn’t it, that all these fine old places are getting into the hands of that sort of man?” “It is revolting to the old stock like you and me, Guy,” responded Pierce with great solemnity. “I got the historic mansion, the grounds with the wreck of three boats and two boathouses--the stables and a piggery--a decent sized piggery--accommodate a family of seventeen. I don’t suppose that I’ll ever want more than seventeen pigs at one time. The piggery is the only part of the place that has been occupied for the past two years. I got the furniture at a valuation too.” “And the pigs?” suggested Pierce. “Oh, I won’t need the pigs. I’m going to ask a crowd of you chaps down some Saturday,” said Guy, and he could not for the life of him understand why Lady Severn as well as Amber and Winwood burst out laughing. He thought it as well to allow himself to be persuaded that he had said something witty, so he too began to laugh; but he laughed so entirely without conviction that every one else in the room roared. “Why shouldn’t I have a crowd down to keep me company?” he enquired blandly. “What’s the good of having a country house unless to entertain one’s friends. I’m going down as soon as I can. I’m not such a fool as to keep up two establishments. I have been paying two pounds a week for my rooms in town up to the present. That’s a lot of money, you know.” “You’ll be able to save something now,” said Pierce. “Not so much in the beginning. The house is not more than a couple of miles from your place, Lady Severn,” said Guy, and at this further suggestion of cause and effect there was another laugh. He felt that he had joined a merry party. “I don’t believe that it can be more than four miles from The Weir,” said Amber, “so that we shall be constantly meeting.”