The afternoon passed speedily and pleasantly, and Hilda, who had been part of the time in the library, was first to see the carriage containing Mr. Courtney and Sandy stop at the side gate. She ran joyously to announce his arrival to Mrs. Courtney, then to the kitchen to tell Chloe, then out to the gate to meet him.
“My home-coming is always more pleasant when Hilda is here to welcome me,” he said cordially as he clasped her dimpled hand; “something told me that you would meet me at the gate.”
Hilda flushed with pleasure, and, clinging to his hand, she went with him to the parlor, where he welcomed the other guests, then went to his dressing room, the terrier flying up the steps in advance of him, and watching every movement with alert, bright eyes until he descended.
Hilda’s request to arrange the bouquet for the center of the table was cheerfully granted by Mrs. Flynn, and with scissors in hand she went to the garden, the terrier following in an ecstasy of delight and playing about her until he saw Archie coming through the gate, his coat upon his arm, for the evening was warm.
The terrier ran to meet him, danced around him and barked, but Archie paid no attention to him, and walking slowly up he placed his coat on the balustrade of the back porch, then went to his favorite seat in the kitchen, and was soon asleep, worn out with his constant walking.
Hilda, in the meantime, had arranged her roses in a tall vase and placed them upon the table; then the tea-bell rang and Mr. Courtney and his guests gathered about it, and cheerful conversation enlivened the meal.
When it was finished they went to the library, where later, Sandy, tall, grave and reserved, joined them at Mr. Courtney’s request to give them Scotch airs upon the bagpipes.
It seemed to Hilda, seated near Mr. Courtney, that Sandy’s music never sounded so mournfully sweet as upon that evening, the last time she was to hear it for many days. For destiny was quietly closing the doors of “My Lady’s Manor” upon her, and opening those of a distant farmhouse, the existence of which she had never known.
In the pauses of the music the occupants of the library heard a scampering and a scuffling upon the porch, mingled with sharp, quick barks, and the dragging of something to and fro.
Mr. Courtney arose and was about to pass from the room to see what occasioned the sounds, when through the open door rushed the terrier, bearing in his mouth two letters which he dropped upon the floor and then ran out.