The ladies went hurriedly up the steps into the open veranda, and Mr Braine turned to his son.
“Walk home with Ned,” he said quickly. “You can stay with him till I come with Mr Murray.”
“Yes, father,” replied the boy, and the two lads went off together toward Murray’s house.
“They’re going to have a confab,” said Frank, “that they don’t want us to hear. I was right; there’s going to be a storm.”
“But isn’t it very strange?” said Ned, eagerly. “What does it all mean?”
“I’m regularly puzzled,” cried frank. “It’s impossible, of course, but it looks so like it, that I can’t help thinking so.”
“What do you mean?”
“That I hope I’m wrong, but it looks as if the old boy has taken a fancy to Amy.”
“What—an English lady! Impossible!” cried Ned, indignantly.
“’Taint impossible here; if the rajah says he will; but if it isn’t so, why did he give Amy Barnes that ring?”