"And what do you call philandering?"

"Well; I reckon you and she oughter know," returned Richelieu, with a
precocious air.

"Certainly," said Mainwaring, with a faint smile. Richelieu really was
like Minty.

There was a long silence. This young Englishman was becoming exceedingly
uninteresting. Richelieu felt that he was gaining neither profit nor
amusement, and losing time. "I'm going," he said.

"Good morning," said Mainwaring, without looking up.

Richelieu picked up his specimens, thoroughly convinced of the
stranger's glittering deceitfulness, and vanished.

It was nearly eight o'clock when Mrs. Bradley came from the house. She
apologized, with a slightly distrait smile, for the tardiness of the
household. "Mr. Bradley stayed at the mill all night, and will not be
here until breakfast, when he brings your friend Mr. Richardson with
him"--Mainwaring scarcely repressed a movement of impatience--"who
arrives early. It's unfortunate that Miss Sharpe can't come to-day."

In his abstraction Mainwaring did not notice that Mrs. Bradley slightly
accented Minty's formal appellation, and said carelessly,--

"Oh, that's why her brother came over here so early!"

"Did YOU see him?" asked Mrs. Bradley, almost abruptly.