‘You remember the old custom, sir!’

’Ay, do I, William.  Sorry for you then; infernally sorry for you now, that I am!  But you’ve run your head into the halter.’

’I love her, sir; I love her to distraction.  Let any man on earth say she’s not an angel, I flatten him dead as his lie.  By the way, sir, I am bound in duty to inform you I am speaking of my wife.’

‘To be sure you are, William, and a trim schooner-yacht she is.’

’She ‘s off, sir; she’s off!’

I thought it time to throw in a word.  ’Captain Bulsted, I should hold any man but you accountable to me for hinting such things of my friend.’

‘Harry, your hand,’ he cried, sparkling.

‘Hum; his hand!’ growled the squire.  ’His hand’s been pretty lively on the Continent, William.  Here, look at this book, William, and the bundle o’ cheques!  No, I promised my girl.  We’ll go into it to-morrow, he and I, early.  The fellow has shot away thousands and thousands—­been gallivanting among his foreign duchesses and countesses.  There ’s a petticoat in that bank-book of his; and more than one, I wager.  Now he’s for marrying a foreign princess—­got himself in a tangle there, it seems.’

‘Mightily well done, Harry!’ Captain Bulsted struck a terrific encomium on my shoulder, groaning, ‘May she be true to you, my lad!’

The squire asked him if he was going to church that morning.

‘I go to my post, sir, by my fireside,’ the captain replied; nor could he be induced to leave his post vacant by the squire’s promise to him of a sermon that would pickle his temper for a whole week’s wear and tear.  He regretted extremely that he could not enjoy so excellent a trial of his patience, but he felt himself bound to go to his post and wait.

I walked over to Bulsted with him, and heard on the way that it was Heriot who had called for her and driven her off.  ’The man had been, I supposed,’ Captain Bulsted said, ’deputed by some of you to fetch her over to Riversley.  My servants mentioned his name.  I thought it adviseable not to trouble the ladies with it to-day.’  He meditated.  ’I hoped I should find her at the Grange in the morning, Harry.  I slept on it, rather than startle the poor lamb in the night.’

I offered him to accompany him at once to Heriot’s quarters.

’What! and let my wife know I doubted her fidelity.  My girl shall never accuse me of that.’

As it turned out, Julia had been taken by Heriot on a visit to Lady Maria Higginson, the wife of the intrusive millionaire, who particularly desired to know her more intimately.  Thoughtless Julia, accepting the impudent invitation without scruple, had allowed herself to be driven away without stating the place of her destination.  She and Heriot were in the Higginsons’ pew at church.  Hearing from Janet of her husband’s arrival, she rushed home, and there, instead of having to beg forgiveness, was summoned to grant pardon.  Captain Bulsted had drawn largely on Squire Gregory’s cellar to assist him in keeping his post.