Part 9 (2/2)
”Oh, I've arranged all that,” replied Mona, indifferently
And she had When they reached the stable they found the ragged Hottentot groo a side-saddle upon one of the horses, a steady-going sure-footed bay
Now, Roden Musgrave was a real sportsman; which, for present purposes, ht be lovely wo s Nevertheless, when Mona's glance had restedannounce to show his real opinion
Nor had he, actively, but there was not the slightest sign of brightening at the news, such as would have lit up the countenance of, say, Lambert, in like case And this she, for her part, did not fail to note
It was a lovely reat sweeping slopes, terraced at intervals with buttresses of cliff The air was as clear and exhilarating as wine, and the sky one vivid, radiant, azure vault High overhead a white fleecy cloud or two soared around a craggy peak
”Isn't it a day?” cried Mona, half breathlessly, as they pulled up to a walk, after a long canter over the nearly level plain ”Grace thinks we are an out-and-out sinful trio”
”So we are, Miss Ridsdale,” said Roden ”But you're the worst Wo if not devout Noith Suffield and enerate and brutal sex”
”Well it isn't our fault, anyway,” said Suffield ”We are Church of England, and that persuasion is not represented in Doppersdorp And, at any rate, it's better to be doing so one's thu too many pipes all day because it is Sunday”
”Why don't you agitate for a church, then?” asked Roden
”Oh, the bishop and the dean are too hard at it, fighting out their battle royal in Grahamstown, to spare ti-house in Doppersdorp and a Catholic chapel, as well as the Dutch Reformed church, but we are left to slide”
”Have you been to the Catholic church, Mr Musgrave?” said Mona ”I go there soht Grace before and after on the subject But I don't see why I shouldn't go I like it”
”That surely should be justification enough”
”Don't put on that nasty, cynical tone when I want you to talk quite nicely”
”But I don't kno”
”I' for What e talking about? Oh, I know Isn't Father O'Driscoll a dear oldin his favour”
”That is just like you,” said Mona, half angrily ”Why don't you agree with me cordially instead of in that half-hearted way, especially as you and he have beco in Doppersdorp that you will soon turn Catholic”
”One ht 'turn' worse But Doppersdorp, as not infrequently happens, is wide of theof it our conversation is not of faith, but of works We talk about fishi+ng”
”What? Always?”
”Always Don't you know that the votary of the fly when, after long abstinence, he runs against another votary of the fly, takes a fresh lease of life Now, Father O'Driscoll and myself are both such votaries, the only two here Wherefore, e get together, we enthuse upon the subject like anything”
”It's refreshi+ng to learn that _you_ can enthuse upon any subject,” Mona rejoined
”Oh, I can Wait till we get up yonder a into a by-track ”We _ at the back of his place is first-rate for rhybok”
”Most we?” expostulated Mona ”But we shall have to drink bad coffee”
”Well, the berry as there distilled is not first-rate”