CHAPTER IV.
Sir Roderick Ayre Inspects Mr.Morewood's Masterpiece.
About a fortnight later than the last recorded incident two men were smoking on the lawn at Millstead Manor.

One was Morewood; the other had arrived only the day before and was the Sir Roderick Ayre to whom reference has been made.
"Upon my word, Morewood," said Sir Roderick, as the painter sat down by him, "one can't go anywhere without meeting you!" "That's since you took to intellectual company," said Morewood, grinning.
"I haven't taken to intellectual company," said Sir Roderick, with languid indignation.
"In the general upheaval, intellectual company has risen in the scale." "And so has at last come up to your pinnacle ?" "And so has reached me, where I have been for centuries." "A sort of perpetual dove on Ararat ?" "My dear Morewood, I am told you know everything except the Bible.

Why choose your allusions from the one unfamiliar source ?" "And how do you like your new neighbor ?" "What new neighbor ?" "Intellect." "Oh! well, as personified in you it's a not unwholesome astringent.

But we may take an overdose." "Depends on the capacity of the constitution, of course," said Morewood.
"One objectionable quality it has," pursued Sir Roderick, apparently unheedful.
"Yes ?" "A disposition toward what boys call 'scoring.' That will, no doubt, be eradicated as it rises more in society.

_Apropos_, what are you doing down here ?" "As an artist, I study your insolence professionally, Ayre, and it doesn't annoy me.