'No, I have not forgotten, though other people have, it seems,' she returned, with a little dignity, and dropping his hand. 'Three whole days, and you have never been to see us or bid us welcome! Do you wonder Aunt Milly and I are offended?' Mildred coloured, but she had too much good sense to disclaim a share in Polly's childish reproaches. 'I will make my apology to Miss Lambert when she feels it is needed; at present she might rather look upon it in the light of a liberty,' observed Dr. Heriot, coolly. 'Country practitioners are not very punctual in paying mere visits of ceremony. I hope you have recovered from the fatigues of settling down in a new place, Miss Lambert?' Mildred smiled. 'It is a very bearable sort of fatigue. Polly and I begin to look upon ourselves as old inhabitants. Novelty and strangeness soon wear off.' 'And you are happy, Polly?'--repossessing himself of the little hand, and speaking in a changed voice, at once grave and gentle. 'Very--at least, when I am not thinking of papa' (the last very softly). 'I like the vicarage, and I like Roy--oh, so much!--almost as much as Aunt Milly.' 'That is well'--with a benign look, that somehow included Mildred--'but how about Mr. Lambert and Richard and Olive? I hope my ward does not mean to be exclusive in her likings.' 'Mr Lambert is good, but sad--so sad!' returned Polly, with a solemn shake of her head. 'I try not to look at him; he makes me ache all over. And Olive is dreadful; she has not a bit of life in her; and she has got a stoop like the old woman before us in church.' 'Some one would be the better for some of Olive's charity, I think,' observed her guardian, laughing. 'You must take care of this little piece of originality, Miss Lambert; it has a trifle too much keenness. "The pungent grains of titillating dust," as Pope has it, perceptible in your discourse, Polly, have a certain sharpness of flavour. So handsome Dick is under the lash, eh?' Polly held her peace. 'Come, I am curious to hear your opinion of Mentor the younger, as Rex calls him.' '"Sternly he pronounced the rigid interdiction" _vide_ Milton. Don't go away, Dick; it will be wholesome discipline on the score of listeners hearing no good of themselves.' 'What, are you behind us, lads? Polly's discernment was not at fault, then.' 'It was not that,' she returned, indifferently. 'Richard knows I think him cross and disagreeable. He and Chrissy put me in mind sometimes of the Pharisees and Sadducees.' The rest laughed; but her guardian ejaculated, half-seriously, 'Defend me from such a Polly!' 'Well, am I not right?' she continued, pouting. 'Chrissy never believes anything, and Richard is always measuring out rules for himself and other people. You know you are tiresome sometimes,' she continued, facing round on Richard, to the great amusement of the others; but the rigid face hardly relaxed into a smile. He was in no mood for amusement to-night.