‘Heretics can be converted.’

He shrugged his shoulders at this.

’Not such a hardened sceptic as myself.  Now, look here, Miss Garston.  I will say something civil.  I believe you are in earnest; so it shall be pax between us; and I will promise not to thwart you.  As for women’s mission in general, I believe their principal mission is not to stop at home and mind their own business; in fact, home and homely duties are the last straws that break the back of the emancipated woman.’  And with these audacious words Mr. Hamilton stirred the fire again with prodigious energy.  Happily, Uncle Max came into the room at that moment; so I was spared any reply.

Max must have thought that I was suspiciously glad to see him, for he looked from one to the other rather anxiously.

’Sorry to be so late, Ursula; but I met Pardoe, and he entrapped me into an argument.  Well, how have you and my friend Hamilton got on together?’

I turned away without answering, but Mr. Hamilton responded, in a melancholy voice—­

’I have been suppressed, like the dormouse in Alice’s teapot.  There is very little left of me.  I had no idea your niece had such a taste for argument, Cunliffe.  I take it rather unkindly that I was not warned off the track.’

‘So you two have been quarrelling.’  And Uncle Max looked a little vexed.  ’What a fellow you are, Hamilton, for stroking a person the wrong way!  Of course Ursula has believed all your cross-grained remarks?’

’Swallowed them whole and entire; and a fit of moral indigestion is the result.  Well, I must be going; but first let me administer a palliative, Miss Garston.  What time do you have breakfast?  If it be before ten, I shall be happy to introduce you to a very eligible case.’

I would have given much to dispense with Mr. Hamilton’s patronage; but under the circumstances it would have been absurd to refuse his offer.  I could not sacrifice my work to my temper; but I recognised with a sinking heart that Mr. Hamilton would cross my daily path.  The idea was as delightful to me as the anticipation of a daily east wind.  I restrained myself, however, and briefly mentioned that I would be ready by nine.

’Oh, that is an hour too early:  I will call for you at ten.  Let me see, you are at the White Cottage.  You are not curious about your first patient; in that you are not a true daughter of Eve.  Well, good-bye, Miss Garston; good-bye, Cunliffe.’  And he left the room without shaking hands with me again.

Uncle Max followed him out into the hall, and they stood so long talking that I lost patience, and went into the kitchen to see Mrs. Drabble.

She received me in a resigned way, as usual, and talked without taking breath once while she buttered the hot cakes and prepared the tea-tray.  I understood her to say that Mr. Tudor’s collars were her chief cares in life; that no young gentleman she had ever known was so hard to please in the matter of starch; that her master was a lamb in comparison; and did I not think he was looking ill and overworking himself?