“You can ring the bell and see,” answered Philip, deliberately turning his back and walking off.
The old man looked after him, with a shrewd glance of intelligence, but expressed no opinion of him.
“Harry,” he said, turning to his young guide, “will you come with me to the door and ring the bell?”
Harry complied with his request.
The door was opened by a servant, who, on seeing the old man, said, pertly:
“We’ve got nothing for the likes of you,” and was about to close the door on the two.
“Stop!” said Harry, in a commanding voice, for he was provoked with the girl’s ill manners. “Tell Mrs. Ross that her uncle is here. I think you’d better invite him in.”
“Well, I never!” said the girl, abashed. “I hope you’ll excuse me, sir. Walk into the parlor, and I’ll tell Mrs. Ross you are here.”
“Won’t you come in, Harry?” asked the old man, who seemed to have taken a liking to his young guide.
“No, thank you, sir. I shall see you again, if you are going to stay in the village.”