"I suppose," he said in reply to an appeal from Tora, "that a man has a right to please himself in such things."
"After all papa has done for him! Besides, Sir Harry, you know a doctor ought to be particularly careful."
"What is there so dreadful about Mr. Bannister?" asked Tora. "He looks very nice."
"Have you seen him, Tora?" asked Janet eagerly.
"Yes; we met him riding on such a queer old horse. He looked as if he was going to tumble off every minute; he can't ride a bit. But he's awfully handsome."
"Oh, tall, not very broad, with beautiful eyes, and a lot of waving auburn hair; he doesn't wear it clipped like a toothbrush. And he's got a long mustache, and a straight nose, and a charming smile. Hasn't he, Sir Harry?"
"I didn't notice particularly. He's not a bad-looking chap. Looks a bit soft, though."
"Soft? why, he's a tremendous genius, papa says."
"I didn't mean that; I mean flabby and out of training, you know."
"Oh, he isn't always shooting or hunting, of course," said Tora contemptuously.
"I don't suppose," remarked Janet, "that in his position of life,--well, you know, Tora, he's of quite humble birth,--he ever had the chance."
"He's none the worse for that," said Sir Harry stoutly.
"The worse? I think he's the better. Papa is going to ask him here."
"I love to meet new people. One sees the same faces year after year in Denshire."
Sir Harry felt that this remark was a little unkind.
"I like old friends," he said, "better than new ones."
"We must wait and hear papa's report," she said, as she took her leave.
Tora Smith escorted her to the door, kissed her, and, returning, said, with a snap of her fingers:
"I don't care that for 'papa's report.' Jan is really too absurd."
"We happen to agree in our opinions, but papa always tells me to use my own judgment. Are you going to see Mr. Bannister?"
"Yes, I think so. He won't hurt me, and he may subscribe to the hunt."
"Oh, I say! Look here, you must help me."
"Perhaps I will, if Mr. Bannister is not too engrossing."
"Was I? And yet you looked pleased. Perhaps you think it a compliment."
"Isn't it one? It shows you think it worth while to----"
"It shows nothing of the kind," said Tora decisively.
Thus, for one reason or another, from one direction and another, there was converging on Littlehill a number of visitors. If your neighbor excites curiosity, it is a dull imagination that finds no plausible reason for satisfying it. Probably there was more in common than at first sight appeared between Mr. Delane's sense of duty, the Mayor's idea of official courtesy, Colonel Smith's contempt for narrowness of mind, Sir Harry Fulmer's care for the interests of the hunt, and Dr. Roberts' frank and undisguised eagerness to see and speak with Dale Bannister face to face.