I have never seen the good man so thoroughly moved, and I am
convinced that his anger did not arise from any petty feeling of injured
vanity upon his own part, but from the thought that a slight had been
offered to the Laird of Branksome, whose dignity he represented.
CHAPTER IV
OF A YOUNG MAN WITH A GREY HEAD
If I had any personal soreness on account of this family snub, it was a
very passing emotion, and one which was soon effaced from my mind.
It chanced that on the very next day after the episode I had occasion to
pass that way, and stopped to have another look at the obnoxious
placard. I was standing staring at it and wondering what could have
induced our neighbours to take such an outrageous step, when I became
suddenly aware of a sweet, girlish face which peeped out at me from
between the bars of the gate, and of a white hand which eagerly beckoned
me to approach. As I advanced to her I saw that it was the same young
lady whom I had seen in the carriage.
"Mr. West," she said, in a quick whisper, glancing from side to side as
she spoke in a nervous, hasty manner, "I wish to apologise to you for
the indignity to which you and your family were subjected yesterday. My
brother was in the avenue and saw it all, but he is powerless to
interfere. I assure you, Mr. West, that if that hateful thing,"
pointing up at the placard, "has given you any annoyance, it has given
my brother and myself far more."
"Why, Miss Heatherstone," said I, putting the matter off with a laugh,
"Britain is a free country, and if a man chooses to warn off visitors
from his premises there is no reason why he should not.
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