poor sport on the whole. I've often wished myself back. But I pictured
you far away on the Night Moth with Mr. and Mrs. Fielding, and myself
bored to extinction in my empty castle. And so I hung on. I certainly
never expected you to get married in my absence, ma Juliette. That was
the unkindest cut of all. Why didn't you write and tell me?"

"I didn't even know where you were," said Juliet. "You disappeared
without warning. We expected you back at any time."

"Bad excuses every one of 'em!" said Saltash. "You know you wanted to get
it over before I came back. Very rash of you both, but it's your funeral,
not mine. Is this all the honeymoon you're going to have?"

Juliet laughed a little. "Well, my dear Rex, it doesn't much matter where
you are so long as you are happy. We spend a good deal of our time on the
sea and in it. We also go motoring in the squire's little car. And we
superintend the decorating of our house. At the same time Dick is within
reach of the miners who are being rather tiresome, so every one--except
the miners--is satisfied."

"Oh, those infernal miners!" said Saltash, and looked at Dick. "How long
do you think you are going to keep them in hand?"

"I can't say," said Dick somewhat briefly. "I don't advise Lord
Wilchester or any of his people to come down here till something has been
done to settle them."

Saltash laughed. "Oh, Muff won't come near. You needn't be afraid of
that. He's deer-stalking in the Highlands. He's a great believer in
leaving things to settle themselves."