Chapter XXVII: 'gaze on Those Summer Woods.'

It was a happy day for Lotty on which Chops returned to the cottage abode of his parents after so many weary wanderings. Not so romantic, certainly, would his life be now as it had been in wayside camp or caravan--it might even be a somewhat prosaic one; for, instead of being a gipsy any more, Chops was about to become a citizen and end probably in becoming a man of substance. Well, he had been a boy of substance, at all events; and although it was nearly a month since Lotty had seen him, he did not appear to have lost flesh to any appreciable extent. But to find his little companion so happy, and so much at home at his mother's cottage, and even on a fair way to earn a good livelihood, made honest Chops beam with joy.

It was not long after this that the lad's father apprenticed him to a draper to get a thorough insight into the business. And the shop was not a long way off, so that Chops came home regularly every night, and when he had a half-day's holiday he spent it with Lotty. The girl was not ashamed, but glad to go out with him, despite the cheeky London boys, who were by no means dilatory in drawing attention to the fact that her companion had to a trifling extent exceeded the limits of the ordinarily obese. The crispness of their remarks, however, did not annoy Chops at all.

'W'ich I'm goin' to go in a buster,' he told Lotty in confidence, 'with athletics, an' work hoff this too solid flesh; an' so, has I grows, I'll put hon manly muscle, an' I think, Miss Lotty, 'ow hall my dreams an' ambitions is bound to come true.'

Then a happy thought occurred to Lotty: she would take Chops under her educational wing and try to teach him to talk grammatically, to put his 'h's' in their right places, and to read and write correctly. And this, she felt a certainty in her own mind, would be to help him up a step or two in the ladder of life. And Chops was delighted when Lotty bought his first books for him out of her own earnings. But she was well rewarded, for the lad became a hard student in his spare time, and a fairly apt pupil.

* * * * *

It will be seen further on how Augustus Robb got hold of still another letter written to Aggie by her brother, who was now away touring in his great caravan through Ireland. But Robb did find it, and took good care that the father should see it. And the epistle made an impression on the mind of the proud owner of Manby Hall which was very far indeed from being favourable to his son's future prospects in life. Robb pretended he had not read nor seen this letter, but this is highly improbable.

Mr Blake, senior, said nothing about it for a day or two, then testily, one morning, he remarked, while both he and Robb were riding home after a pleasurable survey of the beautiful estate:

'By the way, nephew, as we have no secrets, I may as well tell you that I feel sorry I haven't another son, and one who would meet my views more in accordance with the true spirit of a county man and a Blake.'

'You must take a more rosy view of things, uncle,' said Robb. 'I have noticed of late that you have not been your old hearty self. I really think, sir, a change for a month or two, say to Norway, with its bracing air, would do you good; and I'm quite certain that when you came back you would look upon Frank as a mere romantic boy who will grow up by-and-by into a sturdy, healthy, sober-minded man.'

'Sober-minded fiddlestick! I tell you this, Gustus, that the boy is father of the man. Now, listen. I have found out, quite by chance you know, that while travelling in his confounded caravan he has met some beautiful gipsy girl in Ireland, and is going to marry her. Loves her "distractedly," he says, whatever on earth that may mean.'

Augustus laughed. He had more reasons than one for laughing.

'She, the gipsy, it would seem, is only nineteen, so it will be, or would be, but a boy and girl match; but--well, I'm not going to stand it, Gustus. Just look around you as we pause on this knoll, Gustus. Did ever you see a more lovely landscape estate in your life? Gaze on those summer woods, the hills, the beeches and pine-trees, that charming lake asleep in the sunshine, and the noble old Manby Hall nestling down yonder among its waving foliage.'

'It is, indeed, very charming, uncle.'

'And to think that this will go to--to--an idiot who has so little reverence for his ancient lineage and the blood of the Blakes that he intends to marry a Romany rye.'

'Don't excite yourself, sir. It is too bad of Frank. Shall I write to him and put it strong?'

'No--perish the thought! Only, if he does make this mésalliance I shall disinherit him.'

Augustus Robb wanted to laugh again, but there was no excuse. So he leant over his saddle and grasped Mr Blake's hand silently. The apparent friendliness of the act was not lost upon the lord of the manor.

'Augustus,' he said presently, 'I believe I am a little low both in spirits and physique. I shouldn't really mind going to Norway for a month or two, now that Mrs Blake is well and strong again; but without a companion I should feel lonely and bored.'

His nephew did not reply. He knew better.

'Come, Gustus, we'll go together.'

'Oh, that would be very delightful!'

'And, mind, you must promise me this: you will stand for S---- at next election, in the Conservative interest, and, my good boy, I'll use all my interest to have you returned.'

An extract from a letter of Aggie's to her brother soon after this throws some light on Antony's intended marriage.

'I did, dear brother,' it ran, 'as you told me, and placed the letter in my boudoir desk, leaving the keys in it, and as I expected there was a mysterious disappearance. But I did firmly believe that father would see it was all fun. But he has taken it in earnest, and so has our beautiful cousin Gustie. He had the impudence to tell me the other day that when he was member for S---- he meant to enter London society in earnest, and have a large house, and that his establishment would be quite incomplete without a mistress.

'I know what he meant. And now, Frank, they are both off to Norway, and I sincerely hope father will return alone. The lakes in Norway are very deep, Frank, and the cliffs are very high.'

From this extract it will be seen that Antony had meant merely to play a joke on his cousin, but it was taken seriously.

When, after a long, delightful gipsy ramble in Ireland, Antony returned somewhat unexpectedly to Manby Hall, his father and cousin were still in Norway. He had come back without the 'Gipsy Queen.' In fact, so pleased was he with Ireland that he had made up his mind to return there some day and go roving once more. So he had stored his caravan and sold his horses.

He would have liked very much to have seen his father; but fate forbade, for, as he told his mother and sister, he, Antony, had broken out in a new place. In fact, a wandering spirit had gained an ascendency over his mind, and now he was going abroad, far away to the savage island of New Guinea in short, to see some of the most savage life that exists anywhere in the world. But, first and foremost, and as a mere matter of course, he went to visit the little girl who, young though she was, he cared for more perhaps than he had ever cared for any one. This may not have been wise; but--well, perhaps it was only natural under all the strangely romantic circumstances. And Lotty in her new character really appealed to Antony as much, though probably not more, than she had done as the little gipsy lass.

But now something was going to happen, and there would be a nine days' source of wonder and even amusement for society. A very curious case indeed was to be sifted before a well-known judge of the Probate Court. And so, for the very last time in this story, we will see some of its old actors on the stage, and one at least who is new.