"Thorough lady, but she is very stiff; and she worships her son. Charming little girl that. Nice and natural. No modern young-ladyism in her," he muttered, as he picked his way. "I should think it would be possible to be in her company a whole day without a single allusion to frilling, or square-cut, or trains, or the colour and shape of Miss Blank's last new bonnet. Quite a sensible little girl. Pretty flower growing in very uncongenial soil, but she seems happy enough." Philip Oldroyd's communings were checked by some very boggy patches, which had to be leaped and skirted, and otherwise avoided; but as soon as he was once more upon firm ground, he resumed where he had left off. "Wonderfully fond of her brother, too. Well, I don't wonder. He's a fine fellow after all. I thought him a dullard--a book-worm; but he's something more than that. Why, when he wakes up out of his dreamy state, he's a noble-looking fellow. What a model he would make for an artist who wanted to paint a Roman senator. Why doesn't nature give us all those fine massive heads, with crisp hair and beard? Humph! lost in his far-seeing studies, and nothing will draw him out of them for more than a few hours. Nothing would ever draw him away but one thing. One thing? No, not it, though. He's not the sort of man. He's good-looking enough, and he has a voice that, if bent to woo, would play mischief with a woman's heart. He'll never take that complaint, though, I'll vow. It would be all on the lady's side. And yet, I don't know: man is mortal after all. I am for one. Very mortal indeed, and if I go often to The Firs, I shall be mixing Lucy Alleyne up with my prescriptions, and that won't do at all." Volume 1, Chapter VII. PLANETS IN OPPOSITION. Judith Hayle was busy "tidying up" the keeper's cottage, which looked brighter since her return home, for there were flowers in glasses set here and there, and she was mentally wishing that father would clean the captain's double gun out in the wash-house instead of bringing a pail of water into the living-room, to plant between his knees as he worked the rod up and down the barrels. The girl looked serious, for her sudden return had made her father stern, and she expected to be called upon for more explanation, and a cross-examination, which did not begin. "Who's this?" said the keeper, with a quick look through the little lattice. "The missus. Here, Judy, she hasn't come here for nothing. Go upstairs and let me see her first." The girl looked startled and hurriedly obeyed, while her father hastily wiped his hands and opened the door. Mrs Rolph was close up, and he went out into the porch to meet her, drawing aside quietly and gravely to let her pass. "Will you walk in, ma'am?" "Yes, Hayle, thank you," said Mrs Rolph, speaking in a distant, dignified way, as of a mistress about to rebuke an erring servant.