"He's a most particular man," said Meldon; "fidgety to a degree about having everything quite right, always worrying the life out of his servants, which is excellent for them, of course; but, well, if he was married"--he sank his voice again--"I expect his wife would consider herself quite justified in killing him. I daresay he'll be up to call on you this afternoon." "If he's as bad as that," said Miss King, "I had better go in and tidy my hair before he comes." "Perhaps you had," said Meldon. "You're very rude," said Miss King. She smiled as she spoke, blushed slightly, and then looking at Meldon from under her eyelashes, said,-- "Come now, tell me the truth. Am I an absolute fright?" Most men would have attempted a pretty speech of some sort. Many men would have responded to Miss King's eyes with a glance of admiration. She had very fine eyes, and a singularly attractive way of looking out of the corners of them. Miss King was, in fact, a little tired of her own company, and would have liked to hear Meldon say something pleasant about her appearance. She would have enjoyed herself very well if he had attempted some slight flirtation with her. But he snubbed her severely. "I told you yesterday," he said, "that I'm a married man. I have a daughter two years old, and I'm a clergyman. I really can't allow you--" The soft look vanished in an instant from Miss King's eyes. They flashed fiercely. Her face became suddenly crimson. "You are outrageous," she said. "How dare you suggest--? How dare you even think--?" She sprang to her feet and started at a rapid pace towards the house. Her head was poised defiantly. Meldon, though he could only see her back, felt certain that her chin was in the air. Callaghan, who had retired with his scythe to the middle of the lawn, stopped mowing and stared after Miss King. Then he laid down his scythe and approached Meldon. "Were you telling her," he asked, "of the match you had laid out for her?" "No," said Meldon, with a broad smile, "I wasn't." "From the look of her," said Callaghan, "I thought maybe you might." "Well, I wasn't. All I was trying to make plain to her was that she couldn't marry me." "I'd say," said Callaghan, "that she seen that plain enough, however it was that you put it to her." "I thought it better to make it quite clear at once," said Meldon. "She was looking at me in a kind of way you'd hardly understand." "I might, then," said Callaghan, still grinning. "You would not," said Meldon. "You told me a moment ago that the priests wouldn't let you!" "There's many a thing," said Callaghan, "that the clergy might not approve of, but--" "Any how," said Meldon, "it was that kind of way she looked at me, and I thought it better to put a stop to it at once." "You're right there; and it's no more than what I'd expect of you."