And saying this, Matthew Wilson took his wife by the arm and walked slowly away, leaving Mr. Rubric to make what impression he might upon the unhappy brother.
Meanwhile, as John Tincroft had seen from under the chestnut tree, the pretty daughter of Mark had vanished from the scene; and coincidently with this, all his interest in it was over. He noticed only that his friend the clergyman sat down by Mark's side, and seemed to be giving him a quiet lecture, which was listened to, or rather received, in stolid silence; and that afterwards, Mark and his wife retreated through the gate of the Manor House grounds into the high road, so that he saw them no more at that time.
Then, seeing that the rector was walking towards the cricket-field, he followed, and joined company, arriving at the ground just as his college friend Tom Grigson was bowled out, after an innings of an hour, and having made forty runs for his score.
[CHAPTER IV.]
IN THE GROTTO.
JOHN TINCROFT soon got tired of the cricket ground, and retraced his steps to the now deserted lawn. The sun was near setting, but it was shining hotly nevertheless; and the poor student, wearied with his day's exertions, and somewhat perturbed in spirit as well, betook himself to a cool grotto in a remote part of the grounds, which Richard Grigson had had constructed for his own especial pleasure.
The grotto was not only cool, but secluded. It was built of rough stones, after the manner of an ancient ruin, only, unlike ruins in general, it was snugly roofed in, and was weather-tight. It consisted of two chambers, the inner one—which was accessible from the outer by a low archway—being fitted up with some regard to comfort. Among the accessories were a soft couch and a rough rustic table; also a locker, in which were the materials, if required, for the creature enjoyments of smoking and so forth.
Tincroft was not a smoker, nor did he care at that time for treating himself hospitably, though a half-emptied bottle of pale sherry end a tumbler might have tempted one who was so inclined. As it was, he merely stretched himself comfortably on his friend's couch, wondering what pleasure could be found in entertaining a parcel of rustics, and thinking that the life of a country gentleman, and a landlord to boot, was not without its drawbacks, till his memory went back to the pretty girl in pink bows and fair curls, and his own disconsolate condition.