want him shifted."

Dr. Loudon laughed. "I dare say Dobson is a rough diamond.
There's worse folk in the world all the same, but I don't think
he will want to stay. He only went there to pass the time till
he heard from his brother in Vancouver. He's a roving spirit,
and will be off overseas again."

"That's all right!" said Dickson, who was beginning to have horrid
suspicions that he might be on a wild-goose chase after all.
"Well, the next thing is for me to see over the House."

"Certainly. I'd like to go with you myself. What day would
suit you? Let me see. This is Friday. What about this day week?"

"I was thinking of to-morrow. Since I'm down in these parts I may as
well get the job done."

Mr. Loudon looked puzzled. "I quite see that. But I don't think
it's possible. You see, I have to consult the owners and get their
consent to a lease. Of course they have the general purpose of
letting, but--well, they're queer folk the Kennedys," and his
face wore the half-embarrassed smile of an honest man preparing
to make confidences. "When poor Mr. Quentin died, the place went
to his two sisters in joint ownership. A very bad arrangement,
as you can imagine. It isn't entailed, and I've always been pressing
them to sell, but so far they won't hear of it. They both married
Englishmen, so it will take a day or two to get in touch with them.
One, Mrs. Stukely, lives in Devonshire. The other--Miss Katie that
was--married Sir Frances Morewood, the general, and I hear that she's