"Ha, ha! I say, we are nice. Don't you eat any pheasant at dinner, then. There's a brace for to-night. Old Garstang shot 'em--a cruel wretch." Kate looked at him indignantly, and then began conversing with her uncle, while her cousin relapsed into sulky silence, and began to eat as if he were preparing for a famine to come, his mother shaking her head at him reproachfully every time she caught his eye. The lunch at an end, Kate took her uncle's arm and went out into the veranda with him for a few minutes as the sun was shining, and as soon as they were out of hearing Claud turned fiercely upon his mother. "What were you shaking your head at me like that for?" he cried. "You looked like some jolly old Chinese figure." "For shame, my dear. Don't talk to me like that, or I shall be very, very cross with you. And look here, Claud, you mustn't be rough with your cousin. Girls don't like it." "Oh, don't they? Deal you know about it." "And there's another thing I want to say to you. If you want to win her you must not be so attentive to that Miss Leigh." "Who's attentive to Miss Leigh?" said the young man, savagely. "You are, my dear; you quite flirted with her when she was here with her brother last night, and I heard from one of the servants that you were seen talking to her in Lower Lane on Monday." "Then it was a lie," he cried, sharply. "Tell 'em to mind their own business. Now, look here, mother, you want me to marry Katey, don't you?" "Of course, my dear." "Then you keep your tongue still and your eyes shut. The guv'nor 'll be off directly, and you'll be taking her into the drawing-room." "Yes, my dear." "Well, I'm not going out; I'm going to have it over with her this afternoon, so you slip off and leave me to my chance while there is one. I'm tired of waiting for old Garstang to be out of the way." "But I don't think I ought to, my dear." "Then I do. Look here, she knows what's coming, and that's why she wouldn't come out with me, you know. It's all gammon, to lead me on. She means it. You know what girls are. I mean to strike while the iron's hot." "But suppose--" "I shan't suppose anything of the kind. She only pretends. We understand one another with our eyes. I know what girls are; and you give me my chance this afternoon, and she's mine. She's only holding off a bit, I tell you." "Perhaps you are right, my dear; but don't hurt her feelings by being too premature." "Too gammon! You do what I say, and soon. I don't want old Garstang back before we've got it all over. Keep dark; here they come." Kate entered with her uncle as soon as he had spoken, and Claud attacked her directly. "Altered your mind?" he said. "No, Claud; you must excuse me, please," was the reply. "All right. Off, father?" "Yes, my boy. In about half an hour or so; I have two or three letters to write."