"Well; I warn you that mother will require a reason much more than I. Remember, you've said even more to her than to me against 'her' cathedrals!" And:
"Mr. Preston!" Mrs. Varris's voice, true and clear as the girl's, greeted the young American with well feigned astonishment. "We hoped for this," she teased on, almost like the girl herself," when we saw your name on the register this morning. And, as we were not registered, I was going to leave a note for you; but when I recollected your expressed feelings about these towns, I thought it couldn't be you."
"Well—I, at least, Mrs. Varris," he replied, "am glad it is!"
"Oh, so are we—indeed!" she protested. "But what are you doing here?"
Preston looked down at the girl with an acknowledging smile. As he glanced up again, the Englishman they had left at the inn twenty minutes before came about the north front of the cathedral and advanced toward them.
58
