“Well, no wonder. It was enough to make the best girl in the world a little wild. Shut up in that dreary house by herself, for you can’t call it anything else.”
“Yes; dull life for a young girl,” assented the major, “Never heard—er—er—who it was?”
“I? Wouldn’t listen to the confounded scandal. Some damned chatter about her getting up at daylight to go and meet a man. Did you?”
“Hah!” said the major, drawing a deep breath; “I wouldn’t hear.”
“Right, Jem, right. By the way, I think we’ve got every one here who ought to come, and we’ll make the day go off with a swing, old fellow. Is there any fellow I ought to have asked on Miss Emlin’s account?”
“No,” said the major grimly; “you’ve got him for another purpose.”
“Eh? What do you mean?”
“She wanted Rolph herself.”
“Impossible! Why, the girl’s devotedly attached to Glynne, affectionate in the extreme. See what a beautiful diamond bracelet she has given her.”
“Yes, that kind of girl always is. It’s a way they have of showing their spite.”