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This morning, "King Arthur" wore his grandest robes of state, for his mantle of green was thick sewn with a myriad flaming gems; very different he looked from that dark, shrouded giant who had so lately been Conspirator No. Two. Yet, perhaps for this very reason, Bellew paused to lay a hand upon his mighty, rugged hole, and, doing so, turned and looked back at the House of Dapplemere.
"And he threatened to foreclose the mortgage on Dapplemere Farm, did he, Sergeant!" "Within the month, sir! upon which I warned him inn parlour no place lady's private money troubles gaping crowd dammit!" "And so he is turning you out of his cottage?"
"But you see, I am not leaving Dapplemere soon or even thinking of it." "Not?" she repeated, glancing up at him in swift surprise. "Not until you bid me." "You!" "But I I understood that you intend to settle down?" "Certainly!" nodded Bellew, transferring his pipe to another pocket altogether, lest it should damage the rose's tender petals.
But where, among them all, might be found such another parlour as this at Dapplemere, with its low, raftered ceiling, its great, carved mantel, its panelled walls whence old portraits looked down at one like dream faces, from dim, and nebulous backgrounds.
And so he turned, and went away slowly across the fields. Miss Priscilla had been right, Anthea was coming back the longest way round, also she was anxious to keep away from Dapplemere as long as possible. Therefore, despite Small Porges' exhortations, and Bess's champing impatience, she held the mare in, permitting her only the slowest of paces, which was a most unusual thing for Anthea to do.
Belloo sir," said Adam, at this juncture, speaking from beneath an inlaid table which he held balanced upon his head, "it ain't as if this was jest ordinary furnitur' sir, ye see she kind-er feels as it be all part o' Dapplemere Manor, as it used to be called, it's all been here so long, that them cheers an' tables has come to be part o' the 'ouse, sir.
"She will be back to-morrow," said Anthea, silencing Small Porges with a gentle touch of her hand, "and we shall be glad, sha'n't we, Georgy? The house is not the same place without her. You see, I am off in the fields all day, as a rule; a farm, even such a small one as Dapplemere, is a great responsibility, and takes up all one's time if it is to be made to pay "
Had I the time, I should be delighted to explain to you exactly how much, as it is allow me to wish you a very good evening." Mr. Cassilis smiled, and his teeth seemed to gleam whiter, and sharper than ever in the moon-light: "Wouldn't it be rather more apropos if you said 'Good-bye' Mr. Bellew?" he enquired. "You are leaving Dapplemere, shortly, I understand, aren't you?"
I'm generally out at four o'clock on market days; we work hard, and long, at Dapplemere," she answered, giving him her hand with her grave, sweet smile. "Aye, for sure!" nodded Adam, "but farmin' ain't what it was in my young days!" "But I think we shall do well with the hops, Adam." "'Ops, Miss Anthea, lord love you! there ain't no 'ops nowhere so good as ourn be!"
And thus it was that George Bellew came to Dapplemere in the glory of the after-glow of an August afternoon, breathing the magic air of Arcadia which is, and always has been, of that rare quality warranted to go to the head, sooner, or later.
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