Mr. and Mrs. Goarly were left in a state of great perturbation of mind.  They could not in the least make out among themselves who the gentleman was, or whether he had come for good or evil.  That he called himself Gotobed Goarly did remember, and also that he had said that he was an American.  All that which had referred to senatorial honours and the State of Mickewa had been lost upon Goarly.  The question of course arose whether he was not a spy sent out by Lord Rufford’s man of business, and Mrs. Goarly was clearly of opinion that such had been the nature of his employment.  Had he really been a friend, she suggested, he would have left a sovereign behind him.  “He didn’t get no information from me,” said Goarly.

“Only about Mr. Bearside.”

“What’s the odds of that?  They all knows that.  Bearside!  Why should I be ashamed of Bearside?  I’ll do a deal better with Bearside than I would with that old woman, Masters.”

“But he took it down in writing, Dan.”

“What the d—­’s the odds in that?”

“I don’t like it when they puts it down in writing.”

“Hold your jaw,” said Goarly as he slowly shouldered the dung-fork to take it back to his work.  But as they again discussed the matter that night the opinion gained ground upon them that the Senator had been an emissary from the enemy.

CHAPTER XVII

Lord Rufford’s Invitation

On that same Wednesday afternoon when Morton returned with the ladies in the carriage he found that a mounted servant had arrived from Rufford Hall with a letter and had been instructed to wait for an answer.  The man was now refreshing himself in the servants’ hall.  Morton, when he had read the letter, found that it required some consideration before he could answer it.  It was to the following purport.  Lord Rufford had a party of ladies and gentlemen at Rufford Hall, as his sister, Lady Penwether, was staying with him.  Would Mr. Morton and his guests come over to Rufford Hall on Monday and stay till Wednesday?  On Tuesday there was to be a dance for the people of the neighbourhood.  Then he specified, as the guests invited, Lady Augustus and her daughter and Mr. Gotobed,—­ omitting the honourable Mrs. Morton of whose sojourn in the county he might have been ignorant.  His Lordship went on to say that he trusted the abruptness of the invitation might be excused on account of the nearness of their neighbourhood and the old friendship which had existed between their families.  He had had, he said, the pleasure of being acquainted with Lady Augustus and her daughter in London and would be proud to see Mr. Gotobed at his house during his sojourn in the county.  Then he added in a postscript that the hounds met at Rufford Hall on Tuesday and that he had a horse that carried a lady well if Miss Trefoil would like to ride him.  He could also put up a horse for Mr. Morton.