midday
When Margot thrust her pretty laughing face through one of these latter to greet her friends below , every photographer among them insisted upon snap-shotting her then and there , and for a good half-hour she was kept busy , posing in various attitudes , to give the desired touch of life to the pictures . Photography over , the next duties were to partake of lunch and to wander round the small , and it must be confessed somewhat uninteresting little village ; then , -- since the return home counted as one of the chief attractions in the programme -- the little party broke up into two , the clergyman and his son preferring the longer route , round by the roads , the other four to take the short -- cut across the moors . A five-mile walk across the moors ! Given health , settled skies , and congenial society , it would be difficult to name a more exhilarating occupation for a summer afternoon ; but , truth to tell , the weather had taken a decided turn for the worse since midday , and it needed some optimism to set forth on a long exposed walk . The subject had been discussed at lunch with special reference to Margot , as the only lady of the party ; but , as she aptly observed , she was bound to get back somehow , and , as a choice of evils , preferred to walk through rain , rather than sit still to be soaked through and through on the seat of the wagonette . It was therefore decided to make an early start , and allow no loitering by the way ; but when the village had been left about a mile behind an unexpected delay occurred . The Chieftain thrust his hands into his pockets , and stopped short in the middle of the road , with an expression of dismay .