"I did. He said the way you were carrying on with young Meason was
something too disgraceful, and that every one was talking of it; he
said that you had been seen crossing the canal locks, and that you had
spent hours with him on the beach, and he spoke about the cart and
Bamber--I don't know if you ever drove there to meet him; I couldn't
get anything more out of him, for he began to cry."

"Didn't he speak of the party?"

"Oh, yes, a great deal. He said that henceforth he would have none of
the Southdown Road people, male or female, at the Manor House. I
thought he was going to curse the Horlocks; but I reminded him of the
Viceroys. As for the Measons, I don't know what he would have said if
he hadn't been crying."

"The Measons are just as good as we are, though they mayn't be so
rich. I should like to know who has been talking to him about me; I
wonder who told him I spent hours on the beach with Jimmy; I met him
once there quite by accident, and we sat down for ten minutes. I
daresay it was Berkins."

"No, Sally, don't," said Grace, clasping her hands. "Father said that
Maggie was nearly as bad, and was a great deal too much disposed
towards young men."

"I should think she is indeed; I wonder what father would say if he
had seen her walking round the garden out of sight of every one with
that fellow, a man she had never seen before."

"There is no harm in walking round the garden with a man, but I should