‘How is Colonel Askerton?’ asked Clara.

’He’s in-doors.  Will you come and see him?  He’s reading a French novel, as usual.  It’s the only thing he ever does in summer.  Do you ever read French novels, Mr Belton?’

‘I read very little at all, and when I do I read English.’

‘Ah, you’re a man who has a pursuit in life, no doubt.’

’I should rather think so that is, if you mean, by a pursuit, earning my bread.  A man has not much time for French novels with a thousand acres of land on his hands; even if he knew how to read French, which I don’t.’

‘But you’re not always at work on your farm?’

‘It’s pretty constant, Mrs Askerton.  Then I shoot, and hunt.’

‘You’re a sportsman?’

‘All men living in the country are more or less.’

’Colonel Askerton shoots a great deal.  He has the shooting of Belton, you know.  He’ll be delighted, I’m sure, to see you if you are here some time in September.  But you, coming from Norfolk, would not care for partridge-shooting in Somersetshire.’

‘I don’t see why it shouldn’t be as good here as there.’

‘Colonel Askerton thinks he has got a fair head of game upon the place.’

‘I dare say.  Game is easily kept if people knew how to set about it.’

’Colonel Askerton has a very good keeper, and has gone to a great deal of expense since he has been here.’

‘I’m my own head-keeper,’ said Belton;’ and so I will be or rather should be, if I had this place.’

Something in the lady’s tone had grated against his feelings and offended him; or perhaps he thought that she assumed too many of the airs of proprietorship because the shooting of the place had been let to her husband for thirty pounds a year.

‘I hope you don’t mean to say you’ll turn us out,’ said Mrs Askerton, laughing.

‘I have no power to turn anybody out or in,’ said he.  ’I’ve got nothing to do with it.’

Clara, perceiving that matters were not going quite pleasantly between her old and new friend, thought it best to take her departure.  Belton, as he went, lifted his hat from his head, and Clara could not keep herself from thinking that he was not only very handsome, but that he looked very much like a gentleman, in spite of his occupation as a farmer.

‘Bye-bye, Clara,’ said Mrs Askerton; ’come down and see me tomorrow, there’s a dear.  Don’t forget what a dull life I have of it.’  Clara said that she would come.  And I shall be so happy to see Mr Belton if he will call before he leaves you.’  At this Belton again raised his hat from his head, and muttered some word or two of civility.  But this, his latter muttering, was different from the first, for he had altogether regained his presence of mind.

‘You didn’t seem to get on very well with my friend,’ said Clara, laughing, as soon as they had turned away from the cottage.

’Well, no that is to say, not particularly well or particularly badly.  At first I took her for somebody else I knew slightly ever so long ago, and I was thinking of that other person at the time.’