‘Good morning, child,’ said Miss Hazel.  ’Do you want me to give you a bunch of flowers?’

‘No.’

‘What then?’

‘Mammy sent me to see if the lady was come.’

‘Who is mammy? and what does she want?’ said Wych Hazel, cutting more rosebuds and dropping them into her apron.

‘Mammy wants to see the lady.’

‘Well, is she coming to see me?’

‘She can’t come.’

’Why not?’—­a quick shower of laughter and dew-drops, called down by a fruitless spring after a spray of white roses.

‘She lays abed,’ said the child, after the shower was over.

‘O, is she sick?’ with a sudden gravity.  ’Then I will come and see her.  Where does she live?’

The child went away as soon as sure arrangements were made for the fulfilment of the promise.  Wych Hazel’s first visitor! one of the two classes sure to find her out with no delay.  And Miss Kennedy was about as well versed in the one as in the other.

The summons came to her to attend the breakfast room.  Mr. Falkirk was there, fixed in an easy chair and pamphlet; the morning stir had not reached him.

‘How long do we remain at Chickaree?’ he asked, as he buttered his muffin.

’Why, dear Mr. Falkirk, you might as well ask me how long gentlemen will wear their present becoming style of head-dress!  I don’t know.’

’I gather that it would not be safe to order post-horses for departure.  The question remains:  would it be safe to order other horses for the stable at home?  One or the other thing it is absolutely necessary to do.’

’The other horses, sir, by all means.  And especially my pony carriage.’

‘I shall have to have one built to order,’ remarked Mr. Falkirk, after the pause of half an egg.

‘And have it lined with blue—­to set me off.’

‘With a dickey behind—­to set me on.’

’No, indeed!  I’ll have Dingee for an outrider, and then we’ll be a complete set of Brownies.  You must order quick-footed horses for me, Mr. Falkirk—­I may be reduced to the fate of the Calmuck girls.’

A single dark flash was in Mr. Falkirk’s glance; but he only said:  ‘Who is to have the first race, my dear?’

’Mr. Falkirk, you should rather be anxious as to who will have the last.  But get me a fast horse, sir, and let me practise’—­ and flitting away from the table and about the room Miss Hazel sang—­

’ “The lady stude on the castle wa’,
“Beheld baith date and down;
“Then she was ware of a host of men
“Came ryding towards the town. 
“O see ye not, my merry men a’,
“O see ye not what I see? 
“Methinks I see a host of men: 
“I marvel wha’ they be.” ’

And thereupon, finding she had suddenly come rather close to the subject, Miss Hazel dashed out of the room.

The day proved warm.  The air, losing its morning dew and freshness, moved listlessly about among the leaves; the sky looked glassy; the cattle stood panting in the shade, or mused, ankle deep, in the brooks; only the birds were stirring.