"Ah! You have been doing that—eh?" He looked pleased and touched. "Where have you been all the afternoon, child? I thought perhaps you would have gone to the Vicarage with your cousins."
"No; Aunt Mary asked me to go there to tea and to church with them afterwards. She invited me when she came to inquire for Uncle Guy after morning service, but I didn't want to go, and she said I could do as I pleased. I have been watching the ducks and the swans on the lake, and the only person I've seen to speak to this afternoon was Brown."
She explained about the long-legged dog, whilst a frown of annoyance gathered on her grandfather's brow.
"Brown said he would have shot it if he had been able to," she said distressfully; "oh, you wouldn't like him to do that, would you? It was such a poor, thin creature!"
"Brown does not like poachers whether they are men or dogs, so I do not wonder that he appeared vexed; but I should not like him to shoot the lurcher, for I saw just such an animal as you have described playing with a couple of gipsy children on the common yesterday; it was evidently a great pet. No, I should not like it to be shot, bold poacher though it must be. I will tell Brown so."
"Oh, grandfather, that is kind of you!" Felicia cried, her face brightening; "you have so many rabbits that you can well spare a few, can't you?" she asked ingenuously.
"That is not the point," Mr. Renford replied, with an amused laugh. "Are you going to side with the poachers against me?"
"No, indeed, grandfather."
She had been standing by the side of his chair as they had conversed, and now he put his arm around her and drew her nearer. His manner was so affectionate, and he looked so indulgent and kind that she was on the brink of taking him into her confidence anent her visit to the gipsy encampment, when Mrs. Price came to the door with the intelligence that Mr. Guy felt sufficiently well to speak to Miss Felicia and would like to see her.
The little girl, accordingly, went to her uncle at once, and though she was much shocked at the sight of his countenance, which was drawn and pallid from recent suffering, she hid her dismay, and restrained the exclamation which rose to her lips, and bending over the bed pressed her soft lips to his forehead.