Parkes touched his peaked cap as Jan turned away. It was very rare that Jan came out with a lecture; and when he did, the sufferers did not like it. A sharp word from Jan Verner seemed to tell home.
Jan returned to Sir Henry Tempest, and they walked a way in the direction of Deerham Court.
"I conclude all is well at Lady Verner's," remarked Sir Henry.
"Well enough," returned Jan. "I thought I heard you were not coming until to-morrow. They'll be surprised."
"I wrote word I should be with them to-morrow," replied Sir Henry. "But I got impatient to see my child. Since I left India and have been fairly on my way to her, the time of separation has seemed longer to me than it did in all the previous years."
"She's a nice girl," returned Jan. "The nicest girl in Deerham."
"Is she pretty?" asked Sir Henry.
The question a little puzzled Jan. "Well, I think so," answered he. "Girls are much alike for that, as far as I see. I like Miss Lucy's look, though; and that's the chief thing in faces."
"How is your brother, Janus?"
Jan burst out laughing. "Don't call me Janus, Sir Henry. I am not known by that name. They wanted me to have Janus on my door-plate; but nobody would have thought it meant me, and the practice might have gone off."