'"What a lovely old place!" I said to my companion. "Have you secret passages and sliding panels and dark turnpike stairs? What a house for conspiracies! There is a real turret window; can't you fancy it suddenly shot up and the king's face popped out, very red, and bellowing, 'Treason!'" 'At that moment, when my imagination was in full career, the turret window _was_ shot up, and a face, very red, with red whiskers, was popped out. '"That is my father," said young Mr. Warren; and we alighted, and a very small maidservant opened the portals of the baronial hall, while the cabman carried up my trunk, and Mr. Warren, senior, greeted me in the hall. '"Welcome to Bulcester!" he said, with a florid air, and "hoped James and I had made friends on the way," and then he actually winked! He is a widower, and I was dying for tea, but there we sat, and when the little maid came in, it was to say that a gentleman wanted to see Mr. Warren in the study. So he went out, and then, James being the victim of gratitude, I took my courage in both hands and asked if I might have tea. James said that they usually had it after the lecture was over, which would not be till nine, and that some people had been asked to meet me. Then I knew that I was got among a strange, outlandish race who eat strange meats and keep High Teas, and my spirit fainted within me. '"Oh, Mr. James!" I said, "if you love me have a cup of tea and some bread-and-butter sent up to my room, and tell the maid to show me the way to it." 'So he sent for her, and she showed me to the best spare room, with oleographs of Highland scenery on the walls, and coloured Landseer prints, and tartan curtains, and everything made of ormolu that can be made of ormolu. In about twenty minutes the girl returned with tea and poached eggs and toast, and jam and marmalade. So I dressed for the lecture, which was to begin at eight--just when people ought to be dining--and came down into the drawing-room. The elder Mr. Warren was sitting alone, reading the _Daily News_, and he rose with an air of happy solemnity and shook hands again. '"You can let James alone now, Miss Martin," he said, and he winked again, rubbed his hands, and grinned all over his expansive face. '"Let James alone!" I said. '"Yes; don't go upsetting the lad--he's not used to young ladies like you. You leave James to himself. James will do very well. I have a little surprise for James." 'He certainly had a considerable surprise for me, but I merely asked if it was James's birthday, which it was not. 'Luckily James entered. All his gloom was gone, thanks to me, and he was remarkably smiling and particularly attentive to myself. Mr. Warren seemed perplexed. '"James, have you heard any good news?" he asked. "You seem very gay all of a sudden." 'James caught my eye. '"No, father," he said. "What news do you mean? Anything in business? A large order from Sarawak?"