She was brought back to herself at length by the sound of horse's hoofs, and a minute or two later Sam Tremail drew up and alighted at the garden gate. CHAPTER XXXIII A PROPOSAL Sam did not wait for an invitation. Flinging the reins over the gate post, he marched boldly up the garden path, and greeted Ruth at the door. She received him courteously, as was her nature, but a more sensitive man might have felt that there was not much warmth in her welcome. "I was riding this way, and so I thought I would call," he explained. "I hope I don't intrude?" "Oh no, not at all. Will you come inside?" "Thank you, I shall be pleased to rest a few minutes, and so will Nero. Is your brother at home?" "No, he has just gone down to Perranpool." "Mr. Telfer has nearly finished his contract, I hear." "So I am told." "And the company have a mountain of concrete on their hands." "Ralph says they are charging so enormously for it. Besides, they have not sought out new markets." "Markets would open if the stuff was not so poor. They managed to hustle your brother out of his rights without getting his secret." "Is that so?" "So I am told. I know nothing about the matter myself. I can only repeat what people are saying. By the by, I suppose you have heard that your old home has been sold?" "Yes." "St. Goram seems to be quite excited about it. The people in my cousin's shop can talk of nothing else." "Then you have called on your cousin?" "Just to say 'How d'ye do?' But Saturday afternoon appears to be a busy day with him. Seems a shame that he has to turn out, doesn't it?" "It is a shame." "Of course, in a measure, it's his own fault. He ought not to have opposed Lord St. Goram. A man in business ought not to have any politics, and should keep out of public affairs." "But suppose he agreed with Lord St. Goram?" "Oh, that would make a difference, of course. A man ought to know on which side his bread is buttered." "And principle and conviction should not count?" "I don't say that. A man can have any convictions he likes, so long as he keeps them to himself; but in politics it is safest to side with the powers that be." "You think so?" "I am sure of it. Take the case of my Uncle Ned." "I never heard of him," Ruth said innocently. "Oh, well, his late landlord was a Liberal, and, of course, my uncle was a Liberal. Then his landlord became a Unionist, and Uncle Ned became a Unionist also. Well, then his landlord died and his son took possession. He's a Conservative and true blue, and, of course, Uncle Ned is a Tory of the Tories. What is the result? He gets no end of privileges. Moreover, there is no fear of his being turned out of his farm." "And you admire your Uncle Ned?" "I think he might be a little less ostentatious. But he knows on which side his bread is buttered. Now my Cousin William goes dead against his own landlord; there's all the difference. Result, Ned remains and prospers; William has notice to quit."