Elizabeth's Campaign

dance, and the under housemaid, who commonly replaced him when absent, could not explain his non-appearance. H

is daughters took any notice. Elizabeth did not feel inclined to say anything of her own observations in the small hours. If the Squire and Forest had been working at the barricade t

en was of course in bed)-wondering from time to ti

possible for the scene of action. Once or twice it occurred to her to notice that Miss Bremerton was looking rather pale and depressed. But the f

still clung to the trees from which the leaf was dropping silently, continuously. The grass was all cobwebs. Eve

or-plough w

e and some men's voices caught her ear. The plough, sure enough! The sound of it was becoming common in the country-side. Then as the mist thinned and drifted

ull the night before? The big gate swung idly on its hinges. And in front of it stood two men placidly smoking, in company wi

with a bag of ferrets in his hand, emerging fro

Perley! Was it the

d his head with

nin', and the fog was so thick yo couldn't see nothin' beyond a yard or two. But when I got up to the gates, there they were open, j

the gates shu

or two, an' a couple of men. I thowt it was perhaps some village ch

d instinct deterred her. She was glad the country should have the land and the corn. She had no sympathy with her father. And yet all the same when she actually saw

e quite aware all the time of the significance of the sight-she turned back towards the house. And presently, advancing to meet her, she perceived the figure of Elizabeth Bremerton-c

ton quicken

as she and Pamela met. 'And there's

ment at the unlittered

ys, first thing this morni

he plough

es

uzzle it out. Then a sudden l

rricades! Perhaps your fa

ly barred with hurdles and barbed wire, and all tied up wit

uld not imagine. Her fair skin made it impossible fo

the ground. When she raised them it was

e-I am very sorry!-but I shall be leaving you

she was tongue-tied. Was she glad or sorry? She did no

' she said bluntly.

laughed un

aused, trying to find her words-'I didn't quite understand-when

amela. 'You have been doing them. Taking an

Elizabeth's b

ugh-'After all, that wasn't wh

to do it. And it's war-work

of her own apparent inconsisten

plans about the gates. And when he wouldn't, and it seemed likely that there might be legal

a fervently. 'But then, you see,' she laughed, 'there isn't going to be a f

oked as she

will be other things where your father and I shall disagree-if, t

you wouldn't do anything

Elizabeth smiling,

to it?-father cou

must take me at that. "Il ne faut pas sortir de son caractère."' Pamela, looking at her, admired her for the first time. And

d-and then, sincerely, 'I don't

twinkled a little. 'But you don't kn

they had been yet, Elizabeth asking that the news of her resignat

heir alarms, while Elizabeth hurried to the library. She was due there at half-past ten, and she was only just

his morning would probably be of the worst. Something, or some one, had defeated all his schemes for a magnificent assertion of the rights of man. His park was in the hands of the invaders. The public plough was impudently at work. And at the same moment his secretary had g

the Squire's table and

your assistance yesterday afternoon, but y

lizabeth, mildly confronting him. 'I

all about it. Well, anyway, we have lost a great deal of time.' His v

ction, dictated by the Squire, and illustrated often by a number of references to classical writers, given both in Greek and English. The labour of looking out an

down,' he sai

beth

ted at the loom. Beside her are the figures of a young man and two females-probably Telemachus and two hand-maidens. The three male figures in

you go

es

the Odyssey, Book 21. 103. I take Mr. Samuel Butler's translation, which is lively

ht cough. The Squire

not dignified? Well,

, and we never found her out, but as time wore on, and she was now in her fourth year, one of her maids, who knew what she was doing, told us, and we caught her in the act of undoing her work, so she had to finish it, whether she would or no....' I tell you, we never heard of suc

looked up

put tha

hining white hair seemed positively to bristle on hi

ours this morning to take down as fine a barricade as ever I saw put up. I'm stiff with it still. British liberties have been thrown to the dogs-γυν

her all crimson. She sat, pen i

ng.' At which her conscience whispered to her

tand excitedly in front of her, his hands th

t honestly, of course, but that a person of your intelligence, when you saw those gates, failed to put two and two together, well!'-the Squire shook his h

th earnestly, 'it would reall

eeting his attack with the steady, candid look that betrayed her cha

s arms, he leant against a pedestal whi

nvasion of personal freedom had gone in this country. I was perfectly justified in taking it. I was prepared to su

ould not he

incident which fitted less with t

tead of sympathy-instead of simple acquiescence, for how the deuce were you responsib

ur?' suggest

and you have organized the work-your share of it-as you please. Nobody else is the least likely to do it in the same way. When you go, it dr

for one moment inclined to be angry-and the next, she was conscio

who have taught me how to work in your way. I don't think you will have any real diff

ss successful. The Squire l

eave us,' he said slowly,

done?' said Eli

ergy that shook her. 'I have humbled myself to the dust to meet your sentimental ideas-and there you sit-as stony and inaccessible as this fellow here!'-he brought hi

each other. 'No agitation!' said E

f his-dropped them to the table where her right hand was m

lf take down that barr

was an infernal

lad!' Her voic

not mine! And now, having driven me to it-having publicly discredited an

leman towering above her warned her that

steadily, 'very glad-esp

rew out impatiently, beginni

n a lower key. 'It was really him I was thinking of. Of

, the tyrant in h

o some purpose! Now then-yes o

eth he

ly stay with you

wh

ith a sudden fl

an reall

frowning and excited, to the nei

you ask me to help you with the land, I should want to

d the Squire grimly, c

ou to let Pamela do some V.

iently. 'If you stay here, you are her chapero

n do it!' put in Elizabeth hastily. 'But

at. You are responsible. I wash

anded over. But the mention of her, on a sudden impulse, had been pure sympathy on Elizabeth's p

hat you won't expect me to hide what I feel about

Squire said nothing. She went o

and try to help you all I can. It was splendid of you

nt a clerk-I'll find one. You can appoint a new agent if you like. You can do what you like, in fact. I was never m

th firmly, 'that at college I was not

they can manage estates. Now, then, as to my conditions. Do what you like-but

y,' said

-you'll go and break down!

y!' said

ave once b

ceptible, but she

tly from overwork. But I

ured-recaptured-something of exceptional value; like one of those women 'skilled in beautiful arts' whom the Greek slave-raiders used to carry off from a conquered city, and sell for large sums to the wives of wealthy Greek chieftains. Till now he had scarcely thought of her as a woma

wing a long breath-'Oh-except one thing-

zabeth decidedly. 'You

for asking?' His tone had be

entitled to more I should say so. But it is extremely dou

turning to his own table. 'Now,

quite so much about Penelope?' aske

do you

dragged in.' Elizabeth looke

do without her? Yes-let her go!' said the

a to her room. When Pamela emerged, she went in search of Forest, interviewed hi

he night he and Forest took the barricade down, and to-day, Broomie is to be not only secretary, but land-agent, and anything else she pleases-queen, in fact, of all she surveys-including me. But I am bound to say she had bee

ng whatever to do with closing them, nor with anything 'agin the Government! He's a staunch old soul, is Forest. So when father told him what he wanted, he didn't know what to make of it. However, they both groped their way through the fog, which was thick on the other side of the park, and set to at the gates. Forest says it was an awful business to get everything cleared away. Father and Gregson had made an uncommonly good job of it. If Gregson had pu

ame to reconnoitre and take back the news. Rather calm, for one of father's own men! But that's the new spirit, Dezzy. We're not going to be allowed to have it all our own way any more. Well, thank goodness, I don't mind. At least, there is something in me that minds. I suppose it's one's forbears. But the greater part of me wants a lot of change-

since the first week she set foot in the house; while Margaret is certain that she wouldn't marry father if he asked her. She thinks that Miss B. is just the new woman, who wants to do things, and isn't always thinking about getting married. Well, Dezzy, old boy-I don't know what to think. I'll keep my eyes open, and repor

as got a brother in the war-with General Maude. That ought to make me like her. But why did she leave us to find it out through the R

AM