"I could not help it, father," she answered coolly. "He was with Mrs.
Quest when I asked her, so I had to ask him too. Besides, I rather
like Mr. Cossey, he is always so polite, and I don't see why you
should take such a violent prejudice against him. Anyhow, he is
coming, and there is an end of it."

"Cossey, Cossey," said Harold, throwing himself into the breach, "I
used to know that name." It seemed to Ida that he winced a little as
he said it. "Is he one of the great banking family?"

"Yes," said Ida, "he is one of the sons. They say he will have half a
million of money or more when his father, who is very infirm, dies. He
is looking after the branch banks of his house in this part of the
world, at least nominally. I fancy that Mr. Quest really manages them;
certainly he manages the Boisingham branch."

"Well, well," said the Squire, "if they are coming, I suppose they are
coming. At any rate, I can go out. If you are going home, Quaritch, I
will walk with you. I want a little air."

"Colonel Quaritch, you have not said if you will come to my party
to-morrow, yet," said Ida, as he stretched out his hand to say good-
bye.

"Oh, thank you, Miss de la Molle; yes, I think I can come, though I
play tennis atrociously."

"Oh, we all do that. Well, good-night. I am so very pleased that you
have come to live at Molehill; it will be so nice for my father to
have a companion," she added as an afterthought.