"They are about as gay a crowd as one could find north of Carlisle just at present." "Exactly.

There are some well-known people among them, too," said my aunt.

"I've asked them over to-morrow afternoon, and they've accepted." "Excellent!" I exclaimed, for I wanted an opportunity for another chat with the dark-eyed girl who was engaged to the man whose alias was Hornby.

I particularly desired to ascertain the reason of her fear when I had mentioned the _Lola_, and whether she possessed any knowledge of Hylton Chater.
The opportunity came to me in due course, for next afternoon the Rannoch party drove over in two large brakes, and with other people from the neighborhood and a band from Dumfries, my aunt's grounds presented a gay and animated scene.

There was the usual tennis and croquet, while some of the men enjoyed a little putting on the excellent course my uncle, a golf enthusiast, had recently laid down.
As I expected, Woodroffe did not accompany the party.