The Missioner Part 9

"I'm sure I'm very sorry, sir," Mrs. Foulton declared shamefacedly.

"You've seen young Mr. Hurd?"

"He was kind enough to explain the situation to me," Macheson answered.

"I'm afraid I am rather a nuisance to everybody. If I am, it's because they don't quite understand!"

"I'm sure, sir," Mrs. Foulton affirmed, "a nicer lodger no one ever had.

And as for them services, and the Vicar objecting to them, I can't see what harm they'd do! We're none of us so good but we might be a bit better!"

"A very sound remark, Mrs. Foulton," Macheson said, smiling. "And now you must make out my bill, please, and what about a few sandwiches? You could manage that? I'm going to play in a cricket match this afternoon."

"Why you've just paid the bill, sir! There's only breakfast, and the sandwiches you're welcome to, and very sorry I am to part with you, sir."

"Better luck another time, I hope, Mrs. Foulton," he answered, smiling.

"I must go upstairs and pack my bag. I shan't forget your garden with its delicious flowers."

"It's a shame as you've got to leave it, sir," Mrs. Foulton said heartily. "If my Richard were alive he'd never have let you go for all the Miss Thorpe-Hattons in the world. But John--he's little more than a lad--he'd be frightened to death for fear of losing the farm, if I so much as said a word to him."

Macheson laughed softly.

"John's a good son," he said. "Don't you worry him."

He went up to his tiny bedroom and changed his clothes for a suit of flannels. Then he packed his few belongings and walked out into the world. He lit a pipe and shouldered his portmanteau.

"There is a flavour of martyrdom about this affair," he said to himself, as he strolled along, "which appeals to me. I don't think that young man has any sense of humour."

He paused every now and then to listen to the birds and admire the view.

He had the air of one thoroughly enjoying his walk. Presently he turned off the main road, and wandered along a steep green lane, which was little more than a cart-track. Here he met no one. The country on either side was common land, sown with rocks and the poorest soil, picturesque, but almost impossible of cultivation. A few sheep were grazing upon the hills, but other sign of life there was none. Not a farmhouse--scarcely a keeper's cottage in sight! It was a forgotten corner of a not unpopulous county--the farthest portion of a belt of primeval forest land, older than history itself. Macheson laughed softly as he reached the spot he had had in his mind, and threw his bag over the grey stone wall into the cool shade of a dense fragment of wood.

"So much," he murmured softly, "for the lady of Thorpe!"

CHAPTER VI

CRICKET AND PHILOSOPHY

"The instinct for games," Wilhelmina remarked, "is one which I never possessed. Let us see whether we can learn something."

In obedience to her gesture, the horses were checked, and the footman clambered down and stood at their heads. Deyes, from his somewhat uncomfortable back seat in the victoria, leaned forward, and, adjusting his eyegla.s.s, studied the scene with interest.

"Here," he remarked, "we have the 'flannelled fool' upon his native heath. They are playing a game which my memory tells me is cricket.

Everyone seems very hot and very excited."

Wilhelmina beckoned to the footman to come round to the side of the carriage.

"James," she said, "do you know what all this means?"

She waved her hand towards the cricket pitch, the umpires with their white coats, the tent and the crowd of spectators. The man touched his hat.

"It is a cricket match, madam," he answered, "between Thorpe and Nesborough."

Wilhelmina looked once more towards the field, and recognized Mr. Hurd upon his stout little cob.

"Go and tell Mr. Hurd to come and speak to me," she ordered.

The man hastened off. Mr. Hurd had not once turned his head. His eyes were riveted upon the game. The groom found it necessary to touch him on the arm before he could attract his attention. Even when he had delivered his message, the agent waited until the finish of the over before he moved. Then he cantered his pony up to the waiting carriage.

Wilhelmina greeted him graciously.

"I want to know about the cricket match, Mr. Hurd," she asked, smiling.

Mr. Hurd wheeled his pony round so that he could still watch the game.

"I am afraid that we are going to be beaten, madam," he said dolefully.

"Nesborough made a hundred and ninety-eight, and we have six wickets down for fifty."

Wilhelmina seemed scarcely to realize the tragedy which his words unfolded.

"I suppose they are the stronger team, aren't they?" she remarked. "They ought to be. Nesborough is quite a large town."

"We have beaten them regularly until the last two years," Mr. Hurd answered. "We should beat them now but for their fast bowler, Mills. I don't know how it is, but our men will not stand up to him."

"Perhaps they are afraid of being hurt," Wilhelmina suggested innocently. "If that is he bowling now, I'm sure I don't wonder at it."

Mr. Hurd frowned.

"We don't have men in the eleven who are afraid of getting hurt," he remarked stiffly.

A shout of dismay from the onlookers, a smothered exclamation from Mr.

Hurd, and a man was seen on his way to the pavilion. His wickets were spreadeagled, and the ball was being tossed about the field.

"Another wicket!" the agent exclaimed testily. "Crooks played all round that ball!"

"Isn't that your son going in, Mr. Hurd?" Wilhelmina asked.

"Yes! Stephen is in now," his father answered. "If he gets out, the match is over."

"Who is the other batsman?" Deyes asked.

"Antill, the second bailiff," Mr. Hurd answered. "He's captain, and he can stay in all day, but he can't make runs."

They all leaned forward to witness the continuation of the match.

Stephen Hurd's career was brief and inglorious. He took guard and looked carefully round the field with the air of a man who is going to give trouble. Then he saw the victoria, with its vision of parasols and fluttering laces, and the sight was fatal to him. He slogged wildly at the first ball, missed it, and paid the penalty. The lady in the carriage frowned, and Mr. Hurd muttered something under his breath as he watched his son on the way back to the tent.

"I'm afraid it's all up with us now," he remarked. "We have only three more men to go in."

"Then we are going to be beaten," Wilhelmina remarked.