"It's close upon midnight, and all decent people should be in bed." "Since when have you joined the Methodists, Garvington ?" asked an officer who had come over from some twelve-mile distant barracks to pass the night, and a girl behind him began to sing a hymn.
Lady Agnes frowned.

"I wish you wouldn't do that, Miss Ardale," she said in sharp rebuke, and the girl had the sense to be silent, while Garvington fussed over the closing of the window shutters.
"Going to stand a siege ?" asked Miss Greeby, laughing.

"Or do you expect burglars, particularly on this night." "I don't expect them at all," retorted the little man.

"But I tell you I hate the idea of these lawless gypsies about the place.

Still, if anyone comes," he added grimly, "I shall shoot." "Then the attacking person or party needn't bother," cried the officer.
"I shouldn't mind standing up to your fire, myself, Garvington." With laughter and chatter and much merriment at the host's expense, the guests went their several ways, the women to chat in one another's dressing-rooms and the men to have a final smoke and a final drink.
Garvington, with two footmen, and his butler, went round the house, carefully closing all the shutters, and seeing that all was safe.