But Mr. Falkirk was oblivious of such passages of memory in the present company.  He gave no token of hearing.  Instead, he cruelly asked Mr. Kingsland how farming got on this summer?  And Mr. Kingsland, by way of returning good for evil, gave Mr. Falkirk a shower of reports and statistics which might have been true—­they were so unhesitating.  Through which rain of facts Mr. Falkirk could just catch the sound of words from Mr. May, the sense of which fell upon Miss Kennedy’s ear alone.  Until Rollo at her side broke the course of things.

‘I beg your pardon!  Miss Kennedy,’ (in an aside) ’I see Primrose and her father coming.  Shall I stop them?’

‘Why, of course!’ she said, springing to her feet, ’What a question!’

The two recumbent gentlemen rose at once.

‘Do you always wear wildwood tints, Miss Kennedy?’ asked Mr. Simms, looking up admiringly at the slim figure.  ’I thought the other day that green was matchless, but to-day—­’

‘Yes,’ said Wych Hazel, ’but if you would just please stand out of my way, and let me jump down.  I want to see Dr. Maryland.’

The gentleman laughed and retreated, and disregarding the half dozen offered hands, Hazel sprang from her rock and stood out a step or two, shading her eyes and looking down the woodland, where Rollo had disappeared to meet the approaching carriage.  The thicket was so close just here that the carriage road though not far off was invisible.  Down below Rollo had caught a glimpse of the well known little green buggy creeping up the hill; and in another few minutes its occupants appeared coming through the trees.  Wych Hazel had hold of their hands almost before they had sight of her.

‘I thought you had given me up, Dr. Maryland,’ she said, ’and were never coming to see me at all!’

‘Two days,’ said the Doctor benignly, ’two fair days my dear, since we took breakfast together.  I have not been very delinquent.  Though it seems I am not the first here.  Good morning, Mr. Kingsland!—­how do you do, Mr. Burr?—­how do you do, Mr. Sutphen?—­Mr. May?  Are you holding an assembly here, my dear?’ And by that time Dr. Maryland had worked round to Mr. Falkirk; and the hands of the two gentlemen closed in an earnest prolonged clasp; after the approved method gentlemen have of expressing their estimation of each other.

’Miss Kennedy is pretty sure to “hold” whoever comes near her, sir,’ said Mr. Burr.

’I can certify that the “assembly” is quite powerless, Doctor—­ if it will be any relief to your mind,’ said Mr. Kingsland.  While Hazel, with Prim’s hand in hers, was eagerly speaking her pleasure.

‘What are you doing?’ said Primrose under her breath and looking in some astonishment at the gathering.