Mr.Troy, will you kindly help Isabel to keep my ill-trained dog in order ?" Mr.Troy got on his feet, and, not very willingly, followed Isabel out of the room.

"They will quarrel now, to a dead certainty!" he thought to himself, as he closed the door.

"Have you any idea of what this means ?" he said to his companion, as he joined her in the hall.

"What has Mr.
Hardyman done to excite all this interest in him ?" Isabel's guilty color rose.

She knew perfectly well that Hardyman's unconcealed admiration of her was the guiding motive of Lady Lydiard's inquiries.