"Hallo?" he cried. "This won't do. We mustn't sit too long, or we shall meet with a warm reception in the other room. As it is we shall, so let's face our troubles like men." His prediction was verified. "Father, what a long time you've been!" cried Sophie, as they entered the drawing-room. "How men _can_ sit and gossip!" struck in Olive. "Talk about us poor women! When a lot of men get together the sky may fall, but they won't move. What have you been talking about all this time?" "Rattlesnakes, buffaloes, scalps--nothing worse," cried her father, throwing himself into an armchair. "Mr Rowlands and I have been counting up scalps, and we find he has lifted more hair than your venerable parent." Roland, manoeuvring towards a vacant seat at Olive's side, was disgusted to find himself forestalled by Turner. He felt more nettled than he cared to own to himself. The bumptiousness of these young parsons was overwhelming. So he took up the thread of their former conversation with his host and tried to pretend he rather preferred it to carrying out his original intention. Tried to, but it was of no use. Yet why should he care because another man sat talking about nothing in particular to a certain person with whom he had intended discussing precisely the same interesting topic? Why, because, dear reader, he was an ass. But his innings were to come. A message came for the rector, and its purport concerned Turner too. Roland, in obedience to a scarcely perceptible glance from Olive's dark eyes, at once took possession of the vacant seat. "What have you done with that darling of a Roy?" she asked in a low tone. "Left him at home. When I go in he'll nearly eat me. It's worth while leaving him anywhere, if only to see him go mad with delight when I come back. But then, you see, he's only a dog, and doesn't know any better." "I'm afraid we must defer our cigar together, Mr Rowlands!" cried the rector, re-entering the room. "I've been called out to a sick bed, and hardly know when I shall get home. But don't hurry away. Turner, you're in no hurry, I know. Good-night. We must have another sporting conversation before long. I've enjoyed a chat over old times immensely."