and lofty room, with rafters running from wall to wall, a floor of red tiles, and a substantial fireplace built up of those narrow red bricks which were said to be five hundred years old. A few rugs and a sprinkling of arm-chairs had made this ancient kitchen into a sitting-room. Elizabeth, after pointing out the gun-racks, and the hooks for smoking hams, and other evidence of incontestable age, and explaining that Mary had had the idea of turning the room into a sitting-room—otherwise it was used for hanging out the wash and for the men to change in after shooting—considered that she had done her duty as hostess, and sat down in an upright chair directly beneath the lamp, beside a very long and narrow oak table. She placed a pair of horn spectacles upon her nose, and drew towards her a basketful of threads and wools. In a few minutes a smile came to her face, and remained there for the rest of the evening.
“Will you come out shooting with us to-morrow?” said Christopher, who had, on the whole, formed a favourable impression. of his sister’s friend.
“I won't shoot, but I’ll come with you,” said Ralph.
“Don’t you care about shooting?” asked Edward, whose suspicions were not yet laid to rest.
“I've never shot in my life,” said Ralph, turning and looking him in the face, because he was not sure how this confession would be received.
“You wouldn’t have much chance in London, I suppose,” said Christopher. “But won’t you find it rather dull—just watching us?”
“I shall watch birds,” Ralph replied, with a smile.
“I can show you the place for watching birds,” said Edward, “if that’s what you like doing. I know a fellow who comes down from London about this time every year to watch them. It’s a great place for the wild geese and the ducks. I’ve heard this man say that it’s one of the best places for birds in the country.”
