Mrs. Belton gratefully accepted, for she was rather tired. The rest of her family went off by the field path.
“Well, what do you think of your tenant?” said Dr. Perry, whose curiosity about his friends was as boundless as his professional kindness and devotion. “Nice woman. A bit long in the tooth, but a fine upstanding figure. Quite a good lot of girls too. Not exactly out of the top drawer, but that’s all the better for them nowadays. Norman blood and all that doesn’t get you anywhere now. I’m sorry myself. My people are the ordinary run, not a bit of blue blood, but I’ve lived long enough to see that breeding tells. That woman, Miss Sparling, has breeding somewhere all right. Interesting study too. I look forward to seeing more of her.”
Mrs. Belton, who though humble had a secret prid
