'I know,' said Ralph; 'they are going to pull the old place down. All right; I'll do it.'
Then Maggie went on to tell him about the ring, and how Miss Hammond would not have it searched for. 'But it is a very valuable ring—a family one too. It would be a great pity to miss it, if it's really there.'
Ralph agreed.
'Well, then, mind you look for it, sir; only don't say a word to auntie, or she'll put a stop to it.'
'I'm fly,' said Ralph, with a knowing wink, and attempted a renewal of the oscillatory process; but Maggie escaped him this time, and came fleeing in at the dining-room window panting into the presence of her aunts.
Since she first left the room, a visitor had appeared—a Mr Boodles, a distant relative, who had inherited some of the family property, as before explained; a tall grim-looking man, with thin iron-gray hair, carefully brushed off his temples.
The aunts were looking rather serious, not to say frightened, and both started guiltily when they saw Maggie.
'Leave us, my dear, please,' said Miss Hammond gently.
Maggie had just caught the words, 'No marriage at all,' from Mr Boodles, who seemed to be speaking loudly and excitedly; and she went out wandering what it all meant. Some piece of scandal, no doubt, for Boodles was the quintessence of spitefulness.
'It is very dreadful—very,' said Miss Hammond. 'I never had much opinion of Uncle Richard, you know; but for the sake of the young people, I hope you'll let it be kept a profound secret.'