Willets sat down on the wall. "In my time," he said slowly, "I've seen a good bit; and all I have seen, seems to me to show that it's safest for ladies and gentlemen to stick to their own class. But I thought I'd like to have your opinion, sir."
For five minutes they sat in silence, then Willets remarked, "And you think you'll be going up to town next week, sir?"
"I think so. I shall try anyway."
"Would you be so good, sir, as to say to General Grantly that he'd better not put off much longer if he wants the best of the fishing."
"I'll be sure and tell him, Willets. I suppose we must go to bed. Many thanks for the splendid sport. I have to get back to Chatham to-morrow, worse luck, and with the Sunday trains it takes a deuce of a time."
"Good-night, sir, I'm glad you managed to come, even though it was for but one night."
Reggie let himself in very quietly and went up to his room.
He lit his pipe and went to the window to smoke it.
The moonlight was so brilliant that he drew a letter from his pocket and read it easily:
"Dear Reggie," it ran, "yours was a lovely long letter. I'm glad you rescued poor Clara, and you needn't be afraid of me selling papers or carrying sandwich boards. I'm much too busy having a lovely time. Oh never have I had such a time, but I grieve to tell you that both Ganpy and I are very shocked at the behaviour of Grannie. She is having an outrageous flirtation with young Mr Gallup, our member. It's all very well for her to say she is forming him. She is undermining all his most cherished principles, and if his nonconformist constituents hear of his goings on I don't believe they'll ever have him again.