“Father,” said Lucy earnestly, “when I marry Archie I shall, in all probability, leave Gartley for London.”

“I know—­I know.  Bless me, child, do you think that I have not thought of that?  If you were only wise, which you are not, you would marry Random and remain at the Fort.”

“Sir Frank has other fish to fry, father.  And even if I did remain at the Fort as his wife, I still could not look after you.”

“Humph!  I am beginning to see what you are driving at.  But I can’t forget your mother, my dear.  She was a good wife to me.”

“Still,” said Lucy coaxingly, and becoming more and more the champion of Mrs. Jasher, “you cannot manage this large house by yourself.  I do not like to leave you in the hands of servants when I marry.  Mrs. Jasher is very domesticated and—­”

“And would make a good housekeeper.  No, no, I don’t want to give you another mother, child.”

“There is no danger of that, even if I did not marry,” rejoined Lucy stiffly.  “A girl can have only one mother.”

“And a man apparently can have two wives,” said Braddock with dry humor.  “Humph!”—­he pinched his plump chin—­“it’s not a bad idea.  But of course I can’t fall in love at my age.”

“I don’t think that Mrs. Jasher asks for impossibilities.”

The Professor rose briskly.

“I’ll think over it,” said he.  “Meanwhile, I am going to London.”

“When will you be back, father?”

“I can’t say.  Don’t ask silly questions.  I dislike being bound to time.  I may be a week, and I may be only a few days.  Things can go on here as usual, but if Hope comes to see you, ask Mrs. Jasher in, to play chaperon.”

Lucy consented to this suggestion, and Braddock went away to prepare for his departure.  To get him off the premises was like launching a ship, as the entire household was at his swift heels, packing boxes, strapping rugs, cutting sandwiches, helping him on with his overcoat and assisting him into the trap, which had been hastily sent for to the Warrior Inn.  All the time Braddock talked and scolded and gave directions and left instructions, until every one was quite bewildered.  Lucy and the servants all sighed with relief when they saw the trap disappear round the end of the road in the direction of Jessum.  In addition to being a famous archaeologist, the Professor was assuredly a great nuisance to those who had to do with his whims and fancies.

For the next two or three days Lucy enjoyed herself in a quiet way with Archie.  In spite of the lateness of the season, the weather was still fine, and the artist took the opportunity of the pale sunshine to sketch a great deal of the marsh scenery.  Lucy attended him as a rule when he went abroad, and sometimes Mrs. Jasher, voluble and merry, would come along with them to play the part of chaperon.  But the girl noticed that Mrs. Jasher’s merriment was forced at times, and in the searching morning