I believe I must have coloured.  ‘Madam,’ said I, ’the notes are of no importance; and your least pleasure ought certainly to be my law.  You have felt, and you have been pleased to express, a doubt of me.  I tear them up.’  Which you may be sure I did thoroughly.

‘There’s a good lad!’ said the dragon, and immediately led the way to the front lawn.

The brother and sister were both waiting us here, and, as well as I could make out in the imperfect light, bore every appearance of having passed through a rather cruel experience.  Ronald seemed ashamed to so much as catch my eye in the presence of his aunt, and was the picture of embarrassment.  As for Flora, she had scarce the time to cast me one look before the dragon took her by the arm, and began to march across the garden in the extreme first glimmer of the dawn without exchanging speech.  Ronald and I followed in equal silence.

There was a door in that same high wall on the top of which I had sat perched no longer gone than yesterday morning.  This the old lady set open with a key; and on the other side we were aware of a rough-looking, thick-set man, leaning with his arms (through which was passed a formidable staff) on a dry-stone dyke.  Him the old lady immediately addressed.

‘Sim,’ said she, ‘this is the young gentleman.’

Sim replied with an inarticulate grumble of sound, and a movement of one arm and his head, which did duty for a salutation.

‘Now, Mr. St. Ives,’ said the old lady, ’it’s high time for you to be taking the road.  But first of all let me give the change of your five-guinea bill.  Here are four pounds of it in British Linen notes, and the balance in small silver, less sixpence.  Some charge a shilling, I believe, but I have given you the benefit of the doubt.  See and guide it with all the sense that you possess.’

‘And here, Mr. St. Ives,’ said Flora, speaking for the first time, ’is a plaid which you will find quite necessary on so rough a journey.  I hope you will take it from the hands of a Scotch friend,’ she added, and her voice trembled.

‘Genuine holly:  I cut it myself,’ said Ronald, and gave me as good a cudgel as a man could wish for in a row.

The formality of these gifts, and the waiting figure of the driver, told me loudly that I must be gone.  I dropped on one knee and bade farewell to the aunt, kissing her hand.  I did the like—­but with how different a passion!—­to her niece; as for the boy, I took him to my arms and embraced him with a cordiality that seemed to strike him speechless.  ‘Farewell!’ and ‘Farewell!’ I said.  ’I shall never forget my friends.  Keep me sometimes in memory.  Farewell!’ With that I turned my back and began to walk away; and had scarce done so, when I heard the door in the high wall close behind me.  Of course this was the aunt’s doing; and of course, if I know anything of human character, she would not let me go without some tart expressions.  I declare, even if I had heard them, I should not have minded in the least, for I was quite persuaded that, whatever admirers I might be leaving behind me in Swanston Cottage, the aunt was not the least sincere.