"Well--well! You saw him? Did you notice the shape of his head? You can see it all in his face--the force and the insight, the imagination. The face of a scholar, and the body of a sportsman, A magnificent combination! Did you notice his walk?" "Oh, I noticed him well enough. I noticed all there was to see. I have no complaints to make about his appearance." "What have you to complain of then? What has gone wrong?" "He never noticed me!" Ron laughed; a loud boyish laugh of amusement! "Poor old Margot! That was it, was it? An unforgivable offence. He lives up in the clouds, my dear; compared with him, you and I are miserable little earth-worms crawling about the ground. It will take some time before he is even aware of our presence. We will have to make friends with the brother, and trust by degrees to make him conscious of our existence. It's worth waiting for!" Ronald was plainly afire with enthusiastic admiration of his hero; but for once Margot refused to be infected. "I'm not a worm!" she murmured resentfully. "Worm, indeed! I'm every bit as good as he!" For twenty yards she walked on in silence, tilting her chin in petulant scorn. Then-- "Do you remember the old story of Johnny-head-in-air, Ron?" she asked mischievously. "He had a fall. A fall and a dousing! If he isn't very careful, the same sad fate may await your wonderful Mr Elgood!" CHAPTER TEN. AN EXCELLENT BEGINNING. Dinner was served at seven o'clock at the Nag's Head, and was a substantial meal, consisting of spiced salt beef, gooseberry pie, and cheese. Mrs McNab carved the joint at the sideboard, and directed the movements of the maid by a series of glares which appeared to be fraught with wondrous significance. "Brither Elgood" took the head of the table, and beamed upon his companions with cherubic good-nature, while his brother sat on his left, immersed in thought and his dinner. An elderly man with a strong Glasgow accent came next, accompanied by a homely, kindly-looking wife. (Margot sighed with relief to find that after all she was not the only lady of the company). Across from them sat a bowed old man, wearing a clerical collar with his tweed coat, and a thin, weedy-looking youth, evidently his son. An eminently staid and respectable company, but hardly of thrilling interest!