66 American offender in the Windsor chair, "slumber- go straight back to your bedroom and don't argue with me. If you are good I'll give your door a tap on my way back." attired in what what haberdashers call wear." Her slim bare feet were encased in red slippers, one of which dangled precariously from her right big toe, and her hair hung down her back in two tightly screwed but not unbecoming pigtails. At present she was engaged in a heated altercation with two gentlemen for right of entry into the bathroom. The only excuse that I can offer for her conduct is that, although she was nearly twenty-one, in her present setting she looked about four teen. The gentlemen, who wore large hairy dressing-gowns, with towels swathed round their necks and mighty sponges in their hands, did not, it must be confessed, show to such advantage as their opponent. They were distinctly tousled and gummy in appearance, and their wits, as is usual with the male sex early in the morning, were in no condition for rapier work. They had both been patiently awaiting their turn for the bath when Joan arrived, and they were now listening in helpless indignation to a peremptory order to return to their rooms and stay there till sent for, and not to molest an unprotected female on her way to her ablutions. "But look here, Joey," said one he was a pleasant-faced youth of about nineteen-"we were both here before you; and you know we arranged last night that you were to come at twenty past 66 Binks," commanded But Binks was in no mood for compromise, and furthermore wanted his breakfast. "It's not playing the game," he grumbled; "I was here first, Cherub was second "Who isn't playing the game ? flashed out Miss Gaymer. Binks?" "Have you shaved, Binks, taken in flank, admitted the impeachment,which, it may be mentioned, was self-evident. "You haven't, either," was the best retort he could make. "No, but I've brushed my teeth," said the ever - ready Miss Gaymer. "Well," pursued Binks desperately, "you haven't done your hair." "My lad," replied his opponent frankly, "if you were a woman and had to put things on over your head, you wouldn't have done your hair either." Binks, utterly demoralised, fell out of the fighting line. "Joey, I've shaved," murmured the second gentleman in a deprecating voice. Miss Gaymer turned a surprised eye upon him. "Why, Cherub, dear?" she inquired. Cherub," who was still of an age to be exceedingly sensitive on the subject of his manly growth, blushed deeply and subsided. But his companion was made of sterner the stuff. "Come along, Cherub!" he said. "Let's run her into her bedroom and lock her in until we've bathed. Hang it! It's the third time she's done it this week." "Lay one finger on me, children," proclaimed Miss Gaymer, "and I'll never speak to either of you again!" She made ready for battle by twining her feet in and out of the legs of the Windsor chair, and sat brandishing a loofah, the picture of outraged propriety. Her heartless opponents advanced to the attack, and seizing the arms of the chair bore it swiftly, occupant and all, down the passage. Joan, utterly unprepared for these tactics, was at first too taken aback to do anything but shriek and wield the loofah; but shortly recovering her presence of mind, she slipped off the seat and, doubling round her bearers, who were hampered by the chair, scampered back towards the bathonly to run heavily into the arms of an unyielding, sunburned, and highly embarrassed gentleman, who had been standing nervously on the other side of the door of that apartment for the last five minutes, awaiting an opportunity to escape, and had suddenly emerged therefrom on a dash to his bedroom, under the perfectly correct impression that it was a case of room now or never. "Oh, I beg your—why, it's Hughie!" cried Joan. "Yes, it really is!" They recoiled, and stood sur It was veying each other. their first meeting. Hughie, owing to a breakdown on the branch line, had arrived late the night before, after the ladies had gone to bed. Joan and he had not set eyes on each other for nine years. Miss Gaymer recovered her equanimity first. "You're not a bit changed, Hughie," she observed with a disarming smile. "A little browner that's all. Am I?" Hughie did not answer for a moment. He was genuinely astonished at what he had just seen, and not a little shocked. Where young girls are concerned there is no no greater stickler for propriety than your man of the world; and this sudden instance of the latterday camaraderie of young men and maidens had rather taken Hughie's breath away. felt almost as fluttered as an early Victorian matron. Suddenly he realised that he had been asked a question. He "Changed? he said haltingly. "Well, it's rather hard to say, until—until "Until I've got my hair up and more clothes on?" suggested Miss Gaymer. "Perhaps you're right. Still, I look rather nice, don't you think?" she added modestly, preening herself in the kimono. "However, you'll see me at breakfast. Meanwhile I want you to hold those two boys back while I get into the bathroom. Ta-ta, dears! And with an airy wave of her hand to the unwashed and discomfited firm of Dicky and Cherub, who stood grin ning sheepishly in the background, Hughie's ward slipped under her guardian's arm and disappeared into the bathroom, with a swish of cærulean drapery and a triumphant banging of the door. Half an hour later Hughie descended to breakfast, there to be greeted by his host, Jack Leroy, a retired warrior of thirty-eight, of comfortable exterior and incurable laziness, and his wife, the one-time render of Hughie's heartstrings in the person of Miss Mildred Freshwater. Another old friend was the Reverend Montague D'Arcy, whom we last saw dancing the Cachuca by the waters of the Cam. Here he was, a trifle more rotund and wearing Archidiaconal gaiters, but still the twinkling-eyed D'Arcy of old. One or two other guests were seated at the table, but as yet there was no sign of Joey. When she did appear, it was in a riding-habit; and after a hearty meal, in no way accelerated by urgent and outspoken messages from the front door, where her swains were smoking the pipe of patience, she dashed off in a manner which caused most of those who were over-eating themselves round the table to refer enviously to the digestive equipment of the young, and left Hughie to be entertained by his host and hostess. "You'll find her a queer handful, Hughie," said Mrs Leroy, as she sat placidly embroidering an infantine garment in the morning sun on the verandah,—in the corner of which the current issues of The Spectator and Sporting Life, fully unfurled, together with two pairs of perpendicular boot-soles and a cloud of cigarsmoke, proclaimed the fact that the Army and the Church were taking their ease together,"but I want you to remember all the time that she is sound. You'll be tempted to disbelieve that over and over again, but don't! She has been utterly spoiled by everybody, and you must give her time to find her level again. Left to herself, she would be as good as gold. I don't say she wouldn't do something rather outré now and then from sheer animal spirits, but that doesn't count. She's young, of course, so she can't she can't-you know what I mean?" "Stand corn," remarked a voice from behind the Sporting Life. "Thank you, dear: that's just it. You see, Hughie, men egg her on-they're all alike: Jack and Mr D'Arcy are as bad as any-and she gets excited and carried away, and occasionally she does something stupid and conspicuous. Five minutes later she is bitterly ashamed, and comes and cries her heart out to me. People know nothing about that, of course: all they do know is that she did the stupid thing, and they call her a forward little cat and a detestable imp. Don't you believe them, Hughie! "Then you'll find her absurdly impulsive and generous: you could have the clothes off her back if you wanted them. The other day she came home tinue on the footing of those in floods of tears because of a days. Don't do that, for story which a beggar-woman mercy's sake! For all pracwith a baby had told her. It tical purposes you are much was the usual sort of story, nearer to each other in age but it was quite enough for than you wereJoey. She had carried the baby herself for about two miles, and given the mother all the money she had, and made her promise faithfully to come and see me next day. Of course the woman never turned up, and Joey's blouse had to be burned-oh, that baby!-but that sort of thing doesn't alter her faith in human nature. "And she stands the great test, Hughie. She hasn't got one set of manners when men are about and another when they are not. But she's a kittle creature. You must be tender with her, and- Hughie blew through his pipe meditatively. "Seems to me, Mrs Leroy," he said at length, "that I'm in for a pretty thick time. Do you think she's at all likely to take to my present methods, or must I learn some new tricks? Afraid I'm not much of a lady's man. Still, Joey and I used to be great friends, once. Won't that count for something?" "I'm not sure," said Mrs Leroy. "You know how the young loathe being thought young, or reminded of their youth? Joey is just in that frame of mind at present. Because you were a boy of twenty-one when she was child of twelve she may darkly suspect you of desiring to con A chuckle reverberated through the peaceful verandah, and The Spectator and Sporting Life converged for a moment as if to share a confidence. "Jack," inquired Mrs Leroy sternly, "what were you saying to Mr D'Arcy just now?" "Nothin', dear," said a meek voice. want to Why don't you come?" "Well, for one thing I have only danced twice since I went down from Cambridge. One time was at a Viceregal reception in Calcutta, and the other was in Montmartre under less formal conditions. I'll tell you what-you and your house-party go to the ball and enjoy yourselves, and your husband and I will keep each other company here-eh?" "In Captain Leroy put down his paper and said, "Good scheme!" in the loyal but mournful tones of one who realises that it is a forlorn hope, but that one might as well have a shot for it. fact, dear," he continued desperately, "I was thinkin' of takin' Marrable out that very night to lie out for poachers. Old Gannet was tellin' me that the North Wood-that isHe observed his wife's withering eye, and became suddenly interested in the advertisements on the back page of his periodical. "Risk? My dear boy, try the Ball Committee's champagne!" Captain Leroy, defeated at all points, once more subsided; but D'Arcy took up the argument. "Joking apart, Mrs Leroy," he said, "it's an awful thing to be a supernumerary man at a dance in the country. You crawl in at the tail of your party, and shake hands with the governess, under the impression that she is your hostess. You are introduced to a girl, and book a dance. You don't catch her name, so you write down 'Red hair and bird of paradise on your programme, and leave her. course you know nobody; so, after booking a few more wallflowers, you still find a good deal of time at your disposal. You can always tell a male wallflower. Women can usually brazen it out: they put on an air which implies that they have refused countless offers, and are sitting on a hard bench because they like it." Of "They can't deceive the |