Dry, hard advice, but given from a kind hewn, with a moist eye, and in tones which tried to be cheerful and were full of sympathy.  This advice was the key to the more than indulgent treatment which, as we have seen, the girl had received from her father and all about her.  The old Doctor often came in, in the kindest, most natural sort of way, got into pleasant relations with Elsie by always treating her in the same easy manner as at the great party, encouraging all her harmless fancies, and rarely reminding her that he was a professional adviser, except when she came out of her own accord, as in the talk they had at the party, telling him of some wild trick she had been playing.

“Let her go to the girls’ school, by all means,” said the Doctor, when she had begun to talk about it.  “Possibly she may take to some of the girls or of the teachers.  Anything to interest her.  Friendship, love, religion, whatever will set her nature at work.  We must have headway on, or there will be no piloting her.  Action first of all, and then we will see what to do with it.”

So, when Cousin Richard came along, the Doctor, though he did not like his looks any too well, told her father to encourage his staying for a time.  If she liked him, it was good; if she only tolerated him, it was better than nothing.

“You know something about that nephew of yours, during these last years, I suppose?” the Doctor said.  “Looks as if he had seen life.  Has a scar that was made by a sword-cut, and a white spot on the side of his neck that looks like a bullet-mark.  I think he has been what folks call a ‘hard customer.’”

Dudley Venner owned that he had heard little or nothing of him of late years.  He had invited himself, and of course it would not be decent not to receive him as a relative.  He thought Elsie rather liked having him about the house for a while.  She was very capricious,—­acted as if she fancied him one day and disliked him the next.  He did not know,—­but sometimes thought that this nephew of his might take a serious liking to Elsie.  What should he do about it, if it turned out so?

The Doctor lifted his eyebrows a little.  He thought there was no fear.  Elsie was naturally what they call a man-hater, and there was very little danger of any sudden passion springing up between two such young persons.  Let him stay awhile; it gives her something to think about.  So he stayed awhile, as we have seen.

The more Mr. Richard became acquainted with the family,—­that is, with the two persons of whom it consisted,—­the more favorably the idea of a permanent residence in the mansion-house seemed to impress him.  The estate was large,—­hundreds of acres, with woodlands and meadows of great value.  The father and daughter had been living quietly, and there could not be a doubt that the property which came through the Dudleys must have largely increased of late years.  It was evident enough that they had an abundant income,