"Sir," he said, "I am obliged to you for your hospitality. I will walk to the station now, and catch the five-thirty train back to town. I presume, after what has just happened, that we may regard this incident as closed. And let me tell you, Mr. Lottingar," the old gentleman added, turning on his heel as he opened the door, "that Miss Lottingar is a d----d sight too good a daughter for such a shark as yourself." After he had gone, Captain Lottingar kicked a valuable Japanese fire-screen (for which he had not paid) round the room. IV On clearing the lodge-gates Pip turned the car to the left, and they spun down the London road. For an hour they travelled, sometimes slowing through a village or changing gear up a hill, but usually running at top speed, rolling up the miles like shavings under a jack-plane. Pip sat gripping his wheel, intent on his work. Lottie, rigid and upright beside him, looked straight before her, with her hands clasped tightly together under the rug. Occasionally she cast a sidelong glance at her silent companion. At last, when they had covered nearly thirty miles, Lottie spoke. "Jack, I want to talk to you. Stop this machine in some quiet place. That beastly engine makes too much noise for me." Pip, who was getting used to these wayside halts, ran the car up the next opening and stopped. Then the two turned and regarded each other. A glance apprised Pip of the fact that he was to be big brother again. "Well?" he said. "Jack, I've done it this time." "Done what?" "Upset the apple-cart. Poor old Dad! But I'd do it again!" "How did you do it the first time?" said Pip patiently. "Well, I'll tell you. After lunch, Dad and I and his lordship went into the library. We all sat down, the old gentleman very stiff and upright. He had hardly given me a glance so far, but now he turned and looked at me. I felt pretty small, Jack. I can hold my own in a staring match with most people, but that proud old man fairly beat me. He simply looked right through me at the cushion my head was leaning against. By the way, you can do that a bit, too, Jack. It's a trick some men have. That's what first made me think that you--where was I?" "In the library." "Oh, yes. Well, at last the old man turned to Dad, and looked at _him_. Dad didn't half like it, I could see. The old man said-- "'I understand that my son proposes to ally himself with--er,--this young lady?' "'Yes,' said Dad, 'he does.' "'And you have given your consent to the match?' "'Yes', says Dad, as solemn as a judge; 'after due consideration, I have.' "'Then I may as well tell you at once,' says his lordship, quite briskly, 'that I am utterly and entirely opposed to the match, and will never give my consent to it.' "There was a little silence, and we all three settled down in our chairs as much as to say, 'Now we are really getting to business.' Presently Dad said,--