So she stood passively by until the storm was spent; and Dr. Maryland having satisfied his book quest, came out again, awakening to the fact that it was time he and Primrose were jogging homeward.  Primrose took him aside and explained the situation of affairs, after which Dr. Maryland, too, forthwith betook himself down the slope in the direction where Mr. Falkirk and Rollo had disappeared.  After a little interval of further suspense he was seen coming back again.  He reported that Reo was not much hurt; had been a good deal bruised, and the accident had threatened to be serious; but after all no great harm was done.  Primrose nevertheless begged that her father would go home without her; she could come with Duke, she said.

Dr. Maryland’s wagon had not been brought round, however, when a very different vehicle appeared, climbing the steep; and Primrose proclaimed that Mrs. Powder was at hand.  The carriage drew up before the verandah, and from it descended the ex-Governor’s lady, and two young ones—­Miss Annabella and another.  Mrs. Powder was a stately lady, large and dignified;—­ those two things do not always go together, but they did in her case.  She was extremely gracious to all the members of the little group she found gathered to receive her.  Then, as Dr. Maryland was going, she sat down to talk to him about some business which engaged her.  So the two older persons were a little removed from the rest.  Miss Annabella did nothing but look handsome and calm, after her wont; but her younger sister was of different mettle.

‘And so this is Chickaree?’ she said, gazing up and down and about, at the old house and its surroundings.  ’What a delightful old place!  And are you the mistress of it, really—­ without being married, you know?  How splendid!  I always think that’s the worst of being married—­you lose your liberty, you know, and there’s always somebody to bother you; but to have a grand place, and house, and all that, and to be mistress, and have no master!—­I declare,’ Miss Josephine cried, throwing up hands and eyes, ’it’s as good as a fairy tale.  And much better, for it don’t all vanish in smoke in a minute.  Oh, don’t you feel like a fairy princess in the midst of all your magnificence?  You look like it, too!’ added the young lady, surveying the person of her hostess.  ‘Ain’t you proud?’

Hazel’s spent and past excitement had left her rather pale and grave, so that she was doing the honours with an extra touch of stateliness.  Self-control was trying its best now, for she had not the least mind that anybody should know it had ever been shaken.  So she ordered lunch to be served out there on the verandah, and made Dr. Maryland wait for it, and talked to Miss Annabella; and now gave Miss Josephine a cool ’Proud!  Is that what you call it?’ which left nothing to be desired.

‘I thought they said she was so brilliant?’ remarked Miss Annabella, in an aside to Primrose.  ’But I suppose that is with gentlemen.’