admittedly prodigious and unwearied. The house agent proved
disappointingly vague, and could only inform her that a gentleman who
happened to hear of the place had come down from London, inspected the
house, liked its lofty, spacious rooms with their old mahogany doors
(it recalled his home), was much taken with the gardens--and promptly
signed the lease! Certainly it was an audacious step to invade a
strange neighbourhood without a social sponsor or reference. However,
the community breathed more freely when they beheld the new tenant of
"Littlecote," a middle-aged, distinguished-looking individual; and Miss
Jane discovered, or pretended to discover, that he was one of the
Shaftos of Shafton Court.

Mrs. Shafto (who looked surprisingly young to be the mother of a tall
lad of ten) had a pretty figure, quantities of lightish red hair, an
animated manner, and a pair of hard blue eyes. She was fashionably
turned out, and her hat of a remarkable shape was discussed in the
village for weeks.

The arrival of furniture vans, horses, carriages and a number of
servants, afforded unqualified interest to the Misses Tebbs; and
moreover advertised the fact that the new-comers were well-to-do; and
after allowing a reasonable time for the strangers to settle down, the
neighbours called.

By and by these calls were returned by Mrs. Shafto in a smart victoria
and a still smarter costume; her husband was merely represented by a
neatly printed card, which bore the name of "Mr. Edward Shafto,
Athenaeum Club." Mr. Edward Shafto was rarely to be met beyond his
grounds and garden, unless driving through the village to Bricklands
railway station, en route for London. He did not sit on the Bench, nor