“Shall I have the honor, madam?” inquired the master of the house, coming up and offering his arm to take her into the dining room.
The rector spent the evening at Mondreer, and then, as a snowstorm was threatened, he accepted his host’s and hostess’ invitation and stayed all night with them.
Leonidas Force did not return to Mondreer that evening, but the circumstance caused no surprise nor uneasiness, as the young master of Greenbushes was often detained by business to so late an hour that he spent the night at the place.
CHAPTER XXVIII
A STORM BREWING AT MISS SIBBY’S
“Now, tell the truth, and shame the devil, Roland Bayard! Where have you been for the last twenty-four hours?” inquired Miss Sibby, on the afternoon of the same day that witnessed the rector’s visit to Mondreer.
“To tell you the truth, then, Aunt Sibby, I have been to Port Tobacco, waiting for a telegram.”
“A telegram!”
“Yes, a telegram. After the wedding circus yesterday, the nobs decided to cuss the cost and send several miles of telegram to California, to find out the truth about that alleged marriage.”