"When it was built fifteen years ago it was considered a model--six
bathrooms, its own electric light plant, steam heating, and independent
boiler for hot water, the whole bag of tricks. I won't say but what
some of these contrivances will want looking to, for the place has been
some time empty, but there can be nothing very far wrong, and I can
guarantee that the bones of the house are good."

"Well, that's all right," said Dickson. "I don't mind spending a
little money myself if the place suits me. But of that, of course,
I'm not yet certain, for I've only had a glimpse of the outside.
I wanted to get into the policies, but a man at the lodge
wouldn't let me. They're a mighty uncivil lot down there."

"I'm very sorry to hear that," said Mr. Loudon in a tone of concern.

"Ay, and if I take the place I'll stipulate that you get rid
of the lodgekeepers."

"There won't be the slightest difficulty about that, for they are
only weekly tenants. But I'm vexed to hear they were uncivil.
I was glad to get any tenant that offered, and they were well
recommended to me."

"They're foreigners."

"One of them is--a Belgian refugee that Lady Morewood took
an interest in. But the other--Spittal, they call him--I thought
he was Scotch."

"He's not that. And I don't like the innkeeper either. I would