Aylmer and two of the other guests came along the terrace, and Leland looked at her with a little inquiring smile. "Shall I go on talking? I can keep it up if you wish," he said. "No," said the girl. "You have really done enough in the meanwhile." She rose and joined the others, and Leland was left wondering exactly what she meant, though it was borne in upon him that she did not object to Aylmer so much when he had a companion. Then he also rose, and strolled along to where a little faded lady of uncertain age, who had shown him some trifling kindness, was sitting alone. She swept her dress aside to let him pass, looking at him with a smile, but he seated himself on the broad-topped wall in front of her. "Why are you not playing cards, or making love to somebody? Don't you know what you are here for?" she said. Leland laughed. "I'm afraid I'm not good at either, Mrs. Annersly. You see, I'm from the wilderness." "Well," said the lady, "there are, I fancy, one or two young women who would be willing to teach you the rules of one game." "Are you sure they would think it worth while to waste powder and shot on a prairie farmer?" "They might, if it was understood that he was willing to sell his broad acres and settle down to the simple pleasures of an English country life." "No, by the Lord!" said Leland. "You will excuse me, madam, but I really meant it." Mrs. Annersly laughed. "I believe you did. Still, you must remember that there are not many English estates managed like Barrock-holme. In fact, one may observe traces of, at least, a moderate prosperity in parts of this country; but we needn't talk of that. You will notice that a few of the others besides ourselves have sense enough to prefer being outside on such a pleasant night." Leland looked down across the lawn, conscious that she was watching him meanwhile, and saw Carrie Denham and Aylmer cross it together. The moonlight was upon them, and the silvery radiance that made the girl's beauty more apparent seemed to emphasise the grossness of her companion. In that space of grass and flowers, moated and hemmed in by mouldering walls that had flung back the keen winds of the border for five hundred years, Aylmer looked more out of place than he had done by daylight. Leland, who had read no little English history, could almost have fancied it was filled with memories of the old knightly days when the spears of Ettrick and Liddesdale came pricking across the brown moors and mosses on many such a night; while Aylmer was from the cities, heavy-fleshed, soft of muscle, and sensual, of a wholly modern type. "Yes," he said drily; "I see two of them." Mrs. Annersly laughed again. "So does Branscombe Denham, I surmise, but that in all probability does not concern you or me." She stopped, and flashed a swift glance at her companion. Seeing that he made no denial, she changed the subject. "You have been taking billiard lessons from Jimmy Denham. Don't you find it expensive?"